The Best of Car Talk - #2553: What's in a Name?

Episode Date: July 5, 2025

Lisa Carr should be the head of some Texas dealership's leasing office, right? Instead, she's duking it out with some mechanics telling her that her car has 'issues'. Find out if Click and Clack solve Lisa's 'issues' and maybe offer her a job on our staff as the head of the 'money burning division' on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Get access to hundreds of episodes in the Car Talk archive when you sign up for Car Talk+ at plus.npr.org/cartalkLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Hey, before we get to this week's show, we're working on something new for NPR Plus supporters. News Now Podcast. days our extremely lazy producers will eventually listen to the messages, pick a few callers from me, we'll set up a time to talk, and I'll screw up the answers just like the old days. NPR Plus supporters will find these occasional, and I do mean occasional episodes, in their NPR Plus Car Talk feed. So if you have a car question, here's the number, it's 888-522-5478. That's 888-522-5478. That's 888-522-5478. Now here's the show. Hello and welcome to Car Talk from National Public Radio with us, Click and Clack the

Tappert Brothers, and we're broadcasting this week from the Tukey Voo department here at Car Talk Plaza. Now, I have to explain, this is a story that developed over the last few months. It's a little bit of the insider automotive intrigue that most people don't really know about. Exactly. And I'm going to read you chapters one, chapters one two and three and Tommy will do chapters four through twenty seven and the epilogue

Yeah, oh fine. Here it is. Yeah some months ago. I've got the chapter one This is chapter one chapter one and and I'm sure a lot of people have heard this Rolls Royce You know the great poop on people put itself up for sale and BMW The German luxury car automaker, for some reason decided that they were interested. After all, I guess they were already supplying the engines for Rolls-Royce cars and they figured, hey, if it's cheap, we'll go for it. And they understood that the cars Rolls-Royce was making were pretty outdated, blue hair

vehicles for blue hair buyers, but they figured that the name alone was worth a ton of money. The price was right, 250,000 bucks, there's a lot of people want that. And they figured that if they could redesign the car... They figured all we gotta do is sell one. Right. We're getting a lot of money back. Well, that's all the Roles was doing. Come on, we're never gonna get through this if you just don't stop interrupting.

I won't interrupt you. Anyway, they figured that if they could redesign the car so they were actually pretty good, they'd have themselves a high end car line with a, what, a well known name. Yeah. Good enough, right? Yeah. Chapter two, Volkswagen says, oh, contrary Bavarian breath.

Volkswagen decided it wants Rolls Royce, presumably for the same reason, and outbids BMW by a ton of money. Yeah. And buys the Rolls Royce motor presumably for the same reason, and outbids BMW by a ton of money, and buys the Rolls Royce motor car company for hundreds of millions of dollars. Everybody says, oh my God, Volkswagen paid too much for the name Rolls Royce, but VW says, we are delighted with our purchase. We are delighted with our purchase.

Okay, all right, now you do chapters 27 through 32. Chapter three. After the deal goes through, VW finds out Okay, all right now you do After the deal goes through VW finds out that the package that they purchased It I mean even though it had all the outdated plants the outdated designs and all the burl wood and all that stuff Did not include the name Rolls-Royce no Whoops duh the name Rolls Royce no whoops because while they were doing all this negotiating BMW somehow swoops in and buys the name Rolls Royce from the who is apparently the rightful owner of the name

the Rolls Royce airplane company right how about them? They still make aircraft engines they still make aircraft engines so They still make aircraft engines. So VW now has the Rolls Royce company, but they can't use the name. Huh? I mean, did those guys like sit day when the president of VW calls the crack negotiating team together and says, uh, yeah, that was one of the words. I mean, actually they needed you. We Louie Dewey.

They, I'm, if ever anyone needed Louie, Huey Dewey, then this was a time. And they missed it. Because BMW in their generosity, however, did say to VW, look, we got the name and we'll lend it to you for a couple of years. You can use the name Rolls-Royce for like a year and a half and then we have it back. And you can call all your cars for $250,000. Volkswagen's, nobody will notice. They got the name Bentley, right? Yeah, they got the name Bentley. They got Bentley. Well, that's not so bad.

Yeah. I'd be bent if I got Bentley. Anyway, if you'd like to talk to us about this or anything else going on in the world, our number is 1-888-CAR-TALK. That's 888-227-8255. Hello, you're on Car Talk. Hi, my name's Linda. I'm in Chicago. Hi Linda Chicago So that would be L. I NDA. That's right. Yeah, you're normal Linda. Yeah. Yes, you betcha. What's going on Linda? I have

nice 1989 Honda Civic wagon with 79,000 miles on it what year? 89 What kind of a car is it? It's a blue Civic wagon Civic With 79,000 miles on it what year? 89 What kind of a car is it? Civic What color

Five minutes you'll be gone, but I'm gonna be here for the whole show I Think he's forgotten his medication. It's taking me a little time to get the hang of this. You know, we took a couple of weeks off in the summer, which was a long time ago now, but it takes a while to get back into the swing of it, you know? It does, it does. Yeah, so thanks for calling.

I'll be patient if you will. Okay I'll try. So what about this 89 Civic Wanker Blue? Well it's otherwise a very nice car except for one little thing. It's either got vapor lock or something else that causes it to hate short hops and hot weather. I can get in the car, drive to the train, leave it all day on an 85 degree day, come back and it might not start. I can drive to the store and come back outside in 10 minutes and it might not start. Oh, really? But otherwise, I mean right now it's just been great for two or three weeks, but then

again it's been about upper 70 upper 70s low 80s. So this is 80-89 so this is fuel injected. Sure. And you've taken it someplace presumably and they've told you it's been. She's taken it to the train station. That's about it. And they've told you there's nothing they can do. It's so unpredictable that I haven't taken it to somebody because if I'm you know. They'll make fun of you. Yeah. Well it's not vapor lock I mean if it sits there all day long it's unlikely that it's vapor lock. I mean if it sits there all day long, it's unlikely that it's vapor lock I sure hope it's not a compression problem. No, I don't think it's that either because the car runs Okay, I think what it's more likely to be is a bad fuel pump relay

or a bad fuel pump But the only way you're gonna find out is to take it someplace Where they'll do a fuel pressure test and if they can't come up with anything bad as a result of that test, ask them to replace the relay, which we assume is the problem. Now, it's possible that the problem is ignition-related, but your car cranks okay. You turn the key and it goes wah, wah, wah, wah, wah.

It just doesn't. Wah, wah, wah all day if I wanted to. Yeah. It just doesn't start up, but it's possible you're not getting sufficient spark, so I would start by taking it in and telling them what the problem is and maybe leaving it there for a few hot days to see if they can reproduce the problem. And if they can, they'll be able to determine if it's a fuel problem or a spark problem. And I suspect it's going to be a fuel problem, and I'm leaning toward it being a bad fuel

pump relay. That's my guess. Well, you realize, don't you, that the fuel pump relay is the cure du. Well you realize don't you that the fuel pump relay is the cure du jour. Oh is it? Yeah and you've come up with fuel pump relay for the last ten people who call. I have? Yeah no matter what it is. Air conditioner doesn't, I would change the fuel pump. Did you buy stock in a fuel pump relay company? Should I? I would.

Maybe. Good luck, Linda. Well, thanks a lot, guys. All right, bye-bye. Bye-bye. I have given that answer a few times. You have, yes. Well, tis the season for it.

Well, yeah. In my heart, I feel she has a bad fuel pump. But I didn't want to tell her that I didn't think she could take the bad news No But possibly I mean what's good about that is that? Probably if they do the fuel pump relay the fuel pump test it will show up even though the car is starting It may well show up. She may have not enough low pressure. That's what we hope you got low blood pressure Then that's what the problem is and if you got low blood pressure, then that's what the problem is. And put a relay in while you're at it. It can't hurt.

Okay, look, we have to pause right now and take a break. Oh, is this the place where we go chisel on those? Powder, powder on those! We'll be back in a minute. The Nintendo Switch 2 is already the fastest selling video game console of all time. That's despite the technology behind it lagging years behind its competitors. Without saying it, Nintendo is selling a culture. On the Indicator, we unpack the unusual business strategy that transformed a tiny Japanese toy company into a global multimedia giant. Listen to the Ind the indicator from Planet Money

wherever you get your podcasts. At Planet Money, we know that economic jargon can sometimes feel like speaking another language. Yeah, like arbitrage, alpha, autarky. That's just what's in the news these days. There's also absolute advantage, aggregate demand. Aggregate supply, and this is just the A's. Oh, animal spirits.

That's a pretty good one. Planet Money from NPR. We help you translate the economy so you can understand the world wherever you get your podcasts. On NPR's Throughline. Schoolhouses are less expensive than rebellions. We've been debating the government's role in education since the Civil War. A tenth of our national debt would have saved us the blood and treasure of the late war.

How the Department of Education tried to fix a divided nation. Listen to Thru Line wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, we're back. You're listening to Car Talk with us, Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers, and we're here to discuss cars, car car repair and the fine art of killing time At work. Oh sweet it in addition to distracting you from your insignificant car problems on on the weekend We also have taken on the awesome responsibility of helping you kill time During the week from the sanctity of your very own Cubicle. Oh really now how we Now, should you find yourself with an extra,

I don't know, like three or four hours a day to kill at work this week? It happens. Just surf on over to our website, the Car Talk section of cars.com, and there you will find a classic Car Talk puzzler from the Puzzler Archives for your perusal. So-

I see, I would have said, and there you will find for your perusal a Classic car talk puzzle because that's a misplaced well, especially if you don't know the name prep position You don't know the definition of the word perusal without surgery. Anyway, every week this summer while our puzzler is on vacation, we will post another archival puzzler to soothe your aching perusal and it'll challenge you during those particularly dull hours at work. Those hours like between 9 and 12 and 1 and 5. Yeah, that other hour, that's always okay. 12 to 1. No problem. If you'd like to call us, we'll take your calls at 1-888-CAR-TALK, that's 888-227-8285.

Why have you given up on the 888-8257-8285? What you gave up on that? Oh, the 888-227-8285? I haven't given up on that. You haven't used it all day. 888-227-8285? Thanks. Okay.

I feel better. Hello, you're on Car Talk. Hi, my name is Deborah Rodriguez and I'm calling from Haverill Massachusetts Deborah yes is that a five letter Deborah or a seven letter Deborah it's a D E B O R A eight seven seven yeah that's the real spell that's the real thing none of this shortcut stuff Haverill Haverill that's right are you familiar with Ha a m never heard of it uh... i have heard of it you know i don't have the famous idea where it is well it's not the fact that about and well

two hours at the bottom and i thought that they can have our without now and i think that i'm from uh... new hampshire come right on the border but i'm not and massachusetts we can tell that's yeah as a big big difference You go over that line and your IQ will drop 30 you lose five teeth My husband turns into my brother

We won't go there, but anyway Well I have well actually it's my husband's car. It's an 89 Volkswagen Golf Yeah, and this car every once in a while that there seems to be no pattern when I go to start it It makes a very loud metallic grinding noise deal gnashing of teeth that's exactly what it is it's gnashing of teeth isn't it?

it's gnashing of teeth did you just make that up? no this is an automatic transmission golf? i knew it so is this something that i need to be worried about? yes how long has it been doing this? is that something that i need to be worried about yes not that that yes you do i didn't know how long has it been doing this our long time

but how for for every time the frequency for every ten times that you turn that key to start the car how many times is it do this usually it only does it once on the most it's ever done it is three times in a row how many miles on the car uh... one hundred and seventy000. I would do nothing. You would do nothing? Yeah. When it happens... If you don't have to do anything, why do you want to know what it is?

What difference does it make? When it does happen, all you need to do is make sure you stop right away, which of course you do. You let go of that key right away. Of course the radio will keep playing because it's a DW. The radio has been stolen four times. Well of course they can hear it playing. They know you have a radio. If the damn thing shut off, it wouldn't have stolen. As long as the second you hear it happen, you let go of the key. Just keep driving. What's wrong is that the gears on the flywheel that are supposed to mesh smoothly

with the gears on the pinion of the starter are all chewed up. So that when that starter gear, when you turn the key and that starter gear pops out to turn the flywheel, it's hitting teeth that are all chewed up. You've got one spot of maybe a half a dozen teeth that are chewed up, and the other 50 teeth are okay.

And that would explain why one out of 10 times. See, and if you did live in New Hampshire you wouldn't notice you were missing teeth. See, you could have just left it. It might have just slipped by. I couldn't do it. I know. But by the way, when you do get this fixed, I mean this is several hundred dollars so if you decide to get it fixed. No, no, don't. I wouldn't fix it. Don't touch it. Don't touch it. I mean if it gets to be so frequent

that every single time you try to start the car it doesn't then you really have to start thinking about it. You'll know Debra you will know when it's time to start thinking about it. It's like when Berman had that growth on his head. That wasn't a grope that was One eight eight eight car talk that's eight eight eight two two seven eight two five five hello you're on car talk Hi, my name is Frank. How you guys doing? What do you know his name Frank? Yeah frank yeah well you know i do what i can what do you know where you from frank i'm originally from brooklyn but i regard in uh... and i'm in florida now i'm a boy who distributed down here no kidding yes sir

you got any of those uh... spiral cut hams you know i do haha close to them just coming into a truckload came in today yet they fall off the truck those that was really ones we'd be interested in. I fell off the truck a few times myself. The ones that don't make it to the loading dock. FOT man, fell off truck. I caught you guys' show, I was driving home and I happened to be flipping through the channels and I caught you showing up and I immediately got my attention and I immediately thought of the problem I was having with my car and i thought maybe these guys could help me out. Go for it frank we're ready man. Frank, anybody of ours from Brooklyn we will do everything in our power to lead you astray. Well here's what happened gentlemen, i got a Mitsubishi Montero Sport, it's a ninety seven i've already got forty thousand miles on it. Company pays for it?

Uh, company pays for it. Well obviously at forty thousand miles i making some some heck of a commute but yeah that's obviously going to be over but here's what happened driving back and forth from brooklyn to miami that's gonna put some miles i'm telling you it's out of control actually i drive up to the treasure coast and and uh... about an hour and a half yeah one way i've spent about three hours driving this car

and uh... what's happening is whenever i celebrate because i i do enjoy accelerating it's a big squeaking noise but really only when i celebrate how i would have to do this it could be fixed but this card and have nearly the power used to drive a four-legged board at the power this thing you put the gas in it as well uh...

uh... you's talking to me uh... what i did like what i think that you have a copy of that uh... expect the first year and i got it but making this funny noise just like that squealing noise like that we are in the way only when i put on the get the doubt that an lp and go up

you know and i don't know what what what what the court and i don't know what i'm kind of where it is now obviously a forty you know, I'm going to move the car and get going to something else now because I'm not going to be putting that kind of mileage on because I'm relocating. Right, right. And you don't need a sport utility in Florida. I know you need this for you. I'm very sporty, guys. All right, all right, all right, all right. Well, this thing has 40K on it and you only hear the noise when you downshift, and the noise is coming from under the hood.

It's coming from under the hood, it's an automatic though, so it downshifts on its own when I get frustrated and it doesn't go and I push harder. Yeah, and you floor it. No, what's happening, fortunately, is something minor. Okay, cool. The belt is slipping. I see.

This vehicle has one belt, one serpentine belt that drives everything, power steering, air conditioning, water pump. And because it has 40,000 miles on it, it's probably cracked and somewhat worn out and glazed. I see. So when you stomp on that gas pedal to try to get this dog to move,

you're making the RPM go very quickly from what it was, maybe 2,000 up to say 4,000. Right. And when that happens, the belt, which is gonna keep pace with the engine, begins to slip. Yeah, and the RPMs are going up even faster because it downshifts. Right.

So the RPMs obviously go up when you stomp on the pedal, and then when it downshifts, the RPMs go up even more. Right, okay, so. Either that or the engine's getting ready to blow, one or the other. Oh man. But I think it's just a belt and what I would do, because you have 40K on it, I would take it to the Mitsubishi dealer and ask them to put a new belt on. Right. And I bet you the noise will go away. Okay, cool. Let me ask you something else real quick. Do you guys have any suggestions? Obviously, I want the power and it's a V6

and I'm not getting the power. Well, the one for you, Frank, is the Grand Cherokee V8. Oh, I can tell. He's salivating already. I said the magic words. Is that worth a couple of hands or is that worth a couple of hands? Oh my goodness gracious. I think you're right. There you go. You know something, you've opened my eyes. I think that's what I'm going to do. I'm glad your eyes are open as long as you're driving. Keep them open.

Well yeah, sometimes they close but you know. Take it easy Frank. Thanks for calling Frank. I really appreciate it guys. Thanks for your call. Have a great day. Bye. Alright, it's time to take another short break.

I prefer to think of these little breaks as temporary cancellations. That way I'll be more prepared when MPR actually gives us the real acts. Okay, we're being cancelled but stay tuned, We'll be reinstated in just a minute. What would you think if you saw a robot dog out for a walk in your neighborhood? What the hell is that? Oh my god. This is Basha. She's hanging out with us. This is Basha. She's hanging out with us. Okay. So could I have a medium... Double takes. And how they can change your point of view.

That's on the TED Radio Hour podcast from NPR. Recycling can feel like a lost cause, but one college student started a grassroots efforts to turn beer bottles into sand for eroding beaches. We have some music bumping and like some people are sorting. There's one person crushing and the rest of us are like hand sifting the material. Now you can come up with creative ideas by taking a second look. Double takes. That's on the TED Radio Hour podcast from NPR. Hey everybody, it's Ian from How To Do Everything. On our show, we attempt to answer your how-to questions. We don't know how to do anything. So we call experts.

Last season, both Tom Hanks and Martha Stewart stopped by to help. Our next season is launching in just a few months, so get us your questions now by emailing howto at npr.org or calling 1-800-424-2935. Fall in love with new music every Friday at All Songs Considered. That's NPR's music recommendation podcast. Fridays are where we spend our whole show sharing all the greatest new releases of the week. Make the hunt for new music a part of your life again. Tap into New Music Friday from All Songs Considered,

available wherever you get your podcasts. New Music Friday from All Songs Considered, available wherever you get your podcasts. Ha! We're back. You're listening to Car Talk with us, Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers, and we're here to discuss cars, car repair, and the used-a puzzler. Now, as both of our listeners know, every summer the puzzler goes where? A vacanza. A vacanza, as they say in Italy. But we know from your calls and letters that this is a very difficult time. Withdrawal. For both of you. It's withdrawal. Some folks just can't seem to go a week without a car talk puzzle. So for you we have what? Electroshock therapy? Padded room? No. For you we have our classic puzzler archive. Every

week that the puzzler is on vacation, we'll post a classic car talk puzzler on our website. So if you're bored at work or bored with your chat group, just head to the car talk section of cars.com and every week you'll find a new used puzzler there. Pretty nifty, eh? Yeah, that's pretty nice. Cause we always welcome your puzzler suggestions. So more than welcome, more than welcome.

Desperate. We, we, we, yeah, we beg we we please yeah We rely counting on will yeah, whatever so if you have something Send it to us you need to email it to us via the website or you can mail us your suggestion at puzzler tower Kartok Plaza box 3500 Harvard Square Cambridge our first city Matt zero two two three eight Fox 3500, Harvard Square, Cambridge, Our Fair City, Math 02238. And if you want to call us, the number is 888-227-8255, which is also 888-CARtalk.

Yeah. Hello, you're on CARtalk. Hi there, this is Bill. Hey, Bill. Bill, where are you from, Bill? I'm from Knoxville. Knox, Bill from Knoxville? Yeah, it almost rhymes.

It almost rhymes, yeah. If you were writing country music, it would be good enough. That'd be Nashville. That's a little further west. So what's up? Well, I have been looking for a new car. Well, not a new car, but a used car. And I want to try to save some money on a car, because basically I'm cheap. Well, what I found is a pretty cheap car, but it has a quirk to it. It's a reconstructed car.

Oh. Uh-oh. No, go ahead, that sounds fascinating. That might be okay. It might. It's a, uh, 94 Crown Victoria. And it was totaled. It was totaled by the insurance company, but it's been repaired. Now, in talking with the guy who has it for sale, he's done this for some time,

and he seems fairly honest and like a good guy also has been in the business of taking cars that were totaled by insurance company and make them on total it's going to have a reconstructed title was hurt the value of it it's all take together uh... hope not that won't fly but uh... it's uh... ninety- 94 crown victoria with 54,000 miles on it Yeah, apparently it's been hit on the driver's side and this guy had to replace both doors and the door post

Mm-hmm, and I'm just wondering what I need to look for what kind of things You know are going to go on with this what what what are the pitfalls? Well, I mean the worst thing that happens when you have an accident like that is that the frame gets bent. And he said that he doesn't even think, it's my understanding, that the rocker panel wasn't even replaced so apparently it was hit up high enough I don't think it would bend the frame on this car. Well, he said he would warranty his work, he can't warranty Detroit's work, but he'll warranty his work so that's a good sign. I would take it to a body shop, number one. I would take it to a body shop, number one.

I would take it to the best body shop in Knoxville, the guys with the best reputation, and ask them to critique the work that was done on it. All right. Then I would take it to an alignment shop. Right, I thought about that. And see if all four wheels are pointing in the same direction.

More or less. At any one time. Right, yeah. And then I would have the car, take it to your regular mechanic and have a checked out in general as if there would nothing wrong with it is you didn't know the history of it

okay no condition the engine transmission that other than all this stuff is in sure i get there's always the possibility that it says fifty four k on it but someone had the odometer on hope for eighty thousand miles you don't know that either right now i figure i have to at least get to uh... talk to the previous owner to see what the history of before this accident that's what i got that's a good sign and you can find out from him how extensive the accident was

resuming that he's still alive yeah that's that's true actually good shot and if not there are ways to communicate with him we can help you there too yes take care of the other side network that network that's a lot of toyota jackson uh... how much is he want for this car he went seventy nine ninety five for it yeah and uh... you know my research the uh... the retail price is going to be

for the mileage all of the consideration somewhere in a neighborhood of eleven thousand dollars so the savings are pretty good and if the car if it was done correctly it could be okay and of course this is only his asking price. You could get it for $69.95. Right. It doesn't sound like a bad deal, assuming that you go through the steps that my brother

just outlined. All right. Good luck, Bill. Thanks. Bye-bye. See you later. 1-888-CAR-TALK, that's 888-227-8255. Hello, you're on Car Talk.

Hey guys, I'm calling you from Dallas, Texas, and my name is Lisa Carr. Lisa? No joke. You used to be on our staff, you know. Lisa Carr, you were on our very staff! I've heard that, and I'm really upset that I haven't gotten a paycheck. Nobody gets paid. Paycheck?

You have to sue if you want money from us. That's a secret, well. Yeah, that's the secret, yeah. Maybe you could just send me some donuts or something. Call Chrysler, they know how to the secret. Maybe you could just send me some doughnuts or something. Call Chrysler. They know how to do this. So what's up, Lisa?

Well, I have a 94 Saturn SL2, and it has about 78,000 miles on it. Took it in for a regular oil change at the dealer last week, and afterwards the guy came out and said, we have some issues. Issues. Issues. and afterwards the guy came out and said we have we have some issues issues okay and so he laid them out for me four problems that need to be taken care of okay well rank them in order I have my severity my pen at the ready one two three four right and so I'll start with the highest priority and work down go go for it this car needs a throttle body service. Okay.

Number two, it needs a coolant change. Okay. I feel like I'm on David Letterman. Number three, the muffler is starting to rust, should be replaced at some point. Okay. And number four, the right axle seal, right back axle seal is seeping.

Okay. He said those top two I should do, you know, kind of right away. The other two we can watch subsequent oil changes and they wanted $99 for the throttle body service and 68 with Dallas Texas 70 100 and 400 75 bucks for the coolant service oh no you're way off throttle body was only 65 and the coolant change was only 50 to be 54 excellent now I don't have a problem with it because i'm like these guys are straight-up guys and like

sure i'll bring it in i'm already late for my seventy eight kate service next time i bring it in will do it all but i get the car they watch it for me i i go away and i know that that when i push on the accelerator it feels kind of strange subsequently in the next couple days i noticed now when i get in the car accelerate the cart

and jerk forward a bit you know before it kind of kicked in and happened when i'm at low r p m or when i'm shifting gears or find here to high one packet of the be like a one freeway if you'll find i'm not saying that anything that they did anything because you're good guys but i think the timing of a little interesting felt

my question is you know that's that laundry list of four things yeah could it be related to one of those four yeah and if not what could possibly happen during an oil change that might well i should start by saying that i think when they gave you this list they were very honest and correct about the hierarchy

Okay, and the fact that they aren't charging you an arm and a leg to do these things as my brother would do if you Took it to his place I was gonna I was gonna say the final Yeah, insurance rates are high, no customers allowed in the shop, and the off sales are final. Before you mentioned the business of the muffler and the axle seal, I was going to say, Gee, I wouldn't have even put these things on any list, and at least they got them at the bottom. And then you said they told you not to worry about these things, which is exactly what I would have said to you too. But now, what did they do to sabotage your car?

You guys are going to get me in big trouble with them now. Oh yeah. So I don't know that they did anything, but that's what I say. But of course all they did was change the oil in the filter. What could happen? Well, when you asked them why you needed a throttle body service, maybe he noticed something. Here's what happened. I got it. The guy pulled it in to do the oil change.

No, and there was nothing wrong with it. He pulls it out after doing the oil change and takes it around the block. Oh, he's going to park it. To see how much oil leaks out. That's how they test to see if they put the drain plug in. Right, to look for that pool of oil. They drive it around the block with the mirrors so they can see how much oil is left on the ground.

And maybe he noticed that in fact it was doing this little stuttering and he says, oh, Lisa needs a throttle body service. Yeah. Where in fact what they could have done was knocked off a vacuum hose or you could have a bad spark plug wire. So it could be coincidental. I'm assuming that it is. I'm assuming that it is too.

I'd be willing to bet that he maybe even misdiagnosed it. I'd be willing to bet you need a spark plug wire, or you have a bad, a fouled plug or some such thing, which is unrelated to anything they did. And yet. You can blame them if you want. I mean, it's one of those things that you can't really believe.

How could it happen that out of the infinite number of seconds that there are in in the universe? That this throttle body could have died well Happen to happen at that very moment I'm very interested to find out what his explanation is because if it's any good. I want to be able to use it See you Lisa Calling she brought up. I think she said we have automotive issues. Yes She must be one of those

Psychologists types know the dealers said that all the dealer used that her dealer that we miss a seminar. Yeah We missed a decade. I Think we missed one of those seminars issues issues. We have some issues to discuss with you about your car. Let's sound serious right off the bat. Instead of saying... Sounds like psychotherapy. I think you've got some problems with your car. Doesn't it sound better? It does. We have some issues. Yeah, which we'd like to discuss. Yes, and resolve. And resolve hopefully. Well, it's happened again. You've squandered another perfectly good hour listening to Car Talk. Well, it's happened again. You've squandered another perfectly good hour listening to Car Talk.

Our esteemed producer is Doug, not a slave to fashion, Berman. Our associate producer and dean of the College of Automusicology is Ken Ed Grimley Rogers. Our assistant producer is Catherine Imelda Ray Marcos. And our engineer is Dennis Foley, assisted today by Jonathan, career killer, Marston. Our technical, spiritual, and menu advisor is John S. Lawler. Our public opinion pollster is Paul Murky of Murky Research, assisted by statistician Marge Inovera. Our customer care representative is Haywood Jabuzoff, assisted by Kurt Reply.

Our director of catering is Russell Upsengrub, and our telephone solicitation response specialist is Theresa Nobadyum. Theresa... There is a nobodyum. Our staff gossip columnist is Teresa nobody on the recent there is a nobody Oh how a staff gossip columnist is bud inskey peekaboo Street directs our intensive care unit Which is known as the peekaboo ICU our director of moral support as you demand assisted by you go girl Our sexual harassment counselor is Pat McCann and our Leo Tolstoy biographer is more in peace author of Leo Tolstoy by more peace Whoever came up with that peekaboo I see you, I mean that's brilliant.

Berman, Berman came up with that himself. Nah, Berman doesn't come up with anything. Mike Barnacle from the Globe. Did he really? George Carlin. Our chief counselor from the law firm of Dewey Chief and Howes, U. Lewis Dewey, known to the cab drivers in Harvard Square as Uee Louie Dewey. Thanks so much for listening.

We're Click and Clack the Tappert Brothers. Don't drive like my brother. Don't drive like my brother. We'll be back next week. Bye. Bye And now here is car talk plazas entertainment critic mr. Vinny Gumbatz Alright today. I'm recommending a copy of this week's car talk show Show, which is number 34, a dramatic twist of the age-old call-in genre, you know, actor with impeccable panache by two of the all-time masters. Wait a second, Ben. Don't you think that's a little self-serving? Hey, who's doing the reviews here, you or me? Now, if you want this week's fine show, or any other Cod Talk stuff, just call our Shameless Commerce Division at 1 eight eight car junk that's eight eight eight car junk you got that yeah thanks now did you read you lists is like I told you car talk is a production

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