Dear Tom and Ray:

My girlfriend and I read your column all the time. Lately we've been trying to
come up with an easy and convenient way to get more exercise. I started
wondering: Is it safe to remove the power steering from a car? If so, how would
a person do it? I'm thinking that this would be a good way to get better arm and
shoulder strength. I tried it on an old Pinto some years ago by bypassing the
power-steering pump with a shorter fan belt. I think it worked, although I did
get a sore elbow once in a while. -- Rick

RAY: Don't do it, Rick. It's not a very safe thing to do. If you need to make a
quick, evasive movement at a low speed, you might not be able to do it, and you
might hit something -- or, even worse, somebody.

TOM: But more important, Rick, is this really the most clever way you and your
girlfriend can think of to get more exercise?

* * *

Wait! Before you buy a car, make sure you read Tom and Ray's guide, "How to Buy
a Great Used Car: Things Detroit and Tokyo Don't Want You to Know." Send $3 and
a stamped (55 cents), self-addressed, No. 10 envelope to Used Car, PO Box 5541,
Riverton, NJ 08077-5541.