Car Talk: Beaters and Rust Buckets

Car Talk

4.5 (15)
COMEDY

How to handle your older vehicles

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11/11/2017 • CAR TALK+ ONLY

#1745: Love and a Van Dweller

This week on the Best of Car Talk, Tara has gone on a couple of dates with a medical student who's smart, really nice, and is living in a van in the school parking lot. Is there a van dweller psychological profile that should scare her off? Elsewhere, Peter's friend showed the limits of an MIT education by locking himself in Peter's trunk while trying to fix it; Carl's Altima has been making noise since he drove over a rock 6 months ago and his head is too big for him to look underneath to see what might be causing it; Stephanie's mechanic can't hear her Subaru's high-pitched whine so she may need to find a dog to help diagnose it; and Katie's new used Volvo is great, except for her leg going numb while she's driving it. All this and more, this week on The Best of Car Talk.

54 min
03/25/2017 • CAR TALK+ ONLY

#1712: Nature Vs Nurture

This week on The Best of Car Talk, if Art passes his AMC Concord onto his 16-year-old son, is he setting the kid on a life path of collecting junk cars? In other words, Art wants to know what Tommy's first car was. And worse, would the Concord doom his son to no social life? Elsewhere, James is about to relocate to Haiti, but needs a car with high ground clearance. His Honda Civic may not fit that description. Also, Wendy's husband is fogging up her car; Troy's VW sounds "satanic" at 1500 RPM, and Mary Rawson's friend offered to fix her brakes, but wants to be more than just friends. If she stops his advances, can she expect her car to stop? All this, plus the bright side of an expensive diagnosis, and lots more, this week on The Best of Car Talk.

55 min
12/24/2016 • CAR TALK+ ONLY

#1652: Ode to a Monte Carlo

This week on The Best of Car Talk, we thought nobody could be more devoted to an old heap than Tommy, but then we met Lita who has written a poem about her Monte Carlo—we're just relieved she didn't try to rhyme anything with "rust bucket." Elsewhere, Steve moved to Chicago for a job and a girlfriend. He lost both, but he's most confused about why his Acura was the only car not towed from a party. Also, the holiday season brings good cheer and the annual squeak to Betsy's Town and Country; Kate's temporary fix for her frozen door locks is hilarious, and incredibly dangerous; and, did the hottest man in show business set Melinda's radio on fire? All this and more, this week on The Best of Car Talk.

54 min
12/10/2016 • CAR TALK+ ONLY

#1650: The Snort Track

This week on the Best of Car Talk, can Ray grant one listener's Christmas wish by snorting less? And why can't Bob stop laughing about his Geo's starting problem? Elsewhere, Alan's Lincoln is starting to sound eerily like his mother; Karen's Caravan's dashboard is telling her she's always going 120 miles per hour on an empty gas tank; Steph wants to tempt the Blowout Gods by removing his Miata's spare tire so he'll have more trunk space; and Ariel is thinking of buying her first car and is wondering what level of protection she needs to bring to the dealer. Will a Rottweiler do or a big guy named Bruno? All this and more, this week on The Best of Car Talk.

54 min
10/08/2016 • CAR TALK+ ONLY

#1641: Sue, the Stinko Driver

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Sue's boyfriend is afraid to get in the car with her due to her long history of accidents, near misses, and traffic violations. Sue insists she's a safe driver, so a full-scale Car Talk intervention may be necessary. Elsewhere, Robin thinks her VW's steering problem calls for an exorcist, but Tom and Ray say an arsonist may be more helpful; Joe may need to choose between a bungee cord and a 2x4 if he doesn't want to spring for a new transmission; and can Randy just keep adding a quart of oil to her Civic and live her life? Depends on whether her life involves driving the car! All this, plus more than you ever wanted to know about the hazards of adding urine to a radiator. All this and more, this week on The Best of Car Talk.

54 min
04/16/2016 • CAR TALK+ ONLY

#1616: The Closet Leadfoot

This week on The Best of Car Talk, is Martha's Passat shifting rough because of a failing transmission, or Martha's bad driving habits? The Car Talk Leadfoot Personality Test may give the answer. Elsewhere, Martin's brilliant roadside fix for his loose muffler could wind up setting the entire Northeast on fire; Dick's car is blowing so much smoke he's on Pennsylvania's Most Wanted Polluters list; and, Elizabeth is wondering if she should let a sleeping nail lie, in her tire. Also, can Tom and Ray teach Beth how to parallel park without being able to see what's behind her? All this and more, this week on The Best of Car Talk.

54 min
12/05/2015 • CAR TALK+ ONLY

#1549: When the Red Red Robin Comes Pecking at My Car

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Heidi's Lincoln is under assault from a local bird that's itching for a fight, with its own reflection! Can Heidi save her car without ending up on the Audubon Society's Most Wanted list? Elsewhere, Shawn needs help with two annoying noises. One is coming from his Caravan, and the other is his wife laughing at him. Also, Janet and her small-town neighbors can't decide whether they should keep their cars running during their roadside chats; Steve's truck is bouncing its way down the highway; and glass artist Dara may have to make a couple of Click and Clack dashboard figurines if she wants help quieting her Subaru. All this and more, this week on The Best of Car Talk.

53 min
09/05/2015 • CAR TALK+ ONLY

#1536: The Super Magliozzi Brothers

This week on The Best of Car Talk, Tom and Ray have failed at radio, TV, and books, so why not add video game characters to the list? Also, Karl made a bad first impression on his new neighbors when the horn on his Civic wouldn't quit; Cass and her reunited husband can't agree on which of their four heaps to get rid of; Lee was advised to give his Mazda a kerosene bath; and, what does a Quickie-Lube oil change have in common with an enema? All this and more, this week on The Best of Car Talk.

54 min

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America's funniest auto mechanics take calls from weary car owners all over the country, and crack wise while they diagnose Dodges and dismiss Diahatsus. You don't have to know anything about cars to love this one hour weekly laugh fest.

4.7 (16272)

COMEDY