This week on Car Talk, the Big Book of Bad Ideas gets a new chapter. Ted wants to work on his 1947 Jeep by tipping it on its side-- yes, on its side--and relying on his three brothers to hold it place. Can Tom and Ray move Ted towards a less life-threatening approach? Meanwhile, Lynn in Colorado is concerned about her new Subaru's key heating feature; Russell in North Carolina is being serenaded by George Gershwin every time he turns on his air conditioning; and is "sometimes they just need a good kick in the pants" really the right answer to Steve's transmission mystery? Finally, a shout out to any bird poop terminal velocity experts in the audience--Tom and Ray could use your help! All this and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, we hear some listener rants about Tom's EZ Pass theory and why no one should ever take his advice! Plus, what's the best way to ask for directions? And Tom sheds light on why men are from GM, and women are from Ford, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, Marc in New Hampshire learns what catastrophes await when you, A) buy a 100 dollar Peugeot, and B) pay a mechanic in advance. Can Tom and Ray help him get his car back? Or, can they at least stop laughing at him? Meanwhile, chemistry class is in session for John in Ohio, and today's lesson involves his van's radiator, and a certain co-host's dubious "hungry water theory". Elsewhere, Julia is worried that her Dad's obsession with putting a new engine in his Suburban may be causing marital strife; Carla's Accord is making a screech that's scaring her entire neighborhood; and Ariel wants to know how to prepare herself for her first trip to a new car dealer--maybe start with a suit of armor? All this, plus proof that Car Talk can aid physical fitness, and lots more,this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, Dickie in Louisiana gets a big surprise when he takes the steering wheel off his girlfriend's Lexus-- and water comes gushing out the steering column. Dickie's hydraulic confrontation leads us to Car Talk mystery #1: Is it coming from above or below? (We're not talking about the water, we're talking about from which part of Ray's anatomy he's grabbing the answer.) Mystery #2 this week comes from the Northwest, where Bob is wondering just how much damage a sock can do when it gets sucked into the engine manifold. Also, Volvo introduces the remote dope slap, the Puzzler's work ethic is questioned, and on Stump the Chumps, we find out if a truck can be overpriced-- at $170.  All that and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, a million dollar idea from one of our listeners: an NPR-themed restaurant. The only problem is, the menu is a bit limited--to two items. In matters automotive, Renee in New York got two nasty surprises recently. Her Acura wouldn't start, and when she opened the hood, she was greeted by the leftovers from an engine picnic, including chicken bones, coldcuts, and a bag of Doritos. Meanwhile, Fran's got a brilliant idea for changing his oil and killing his engine at the same time, and Foreign Service Officer Joan is wondering how many trunks of spare car parts she needs to bring to her next assignment in Madagascar. Also, how to get revenge on a soon to be ex-husband who's planted a GPS unit in your car. All this, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

We're all getting older, so as a public service, this week on Car Talk we update a few classic songs to reflect our demographic shift. For example, "I get by with a little help from Depends." In matters automotive, Mickey's Nissan sounds like it's getting a wedgie whenever he turns on the AC, and a recent fender bender has Stephanie worried about passing an upcoming smog test. Also, Lisa's looking for help trying to convince her husband to rent  an RV for a road trip to Graceland, and Doctor Rich's new cigar habit's given him both a stinky car-- and a nasty cough. And, what bad advice could leave Sally with a tombstone reading "She died getting 95 miles per gallon"? All this and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week's Car Talk kicks off with a cautionary tale of what not to say the first time your girlfriend tells you she loves you. Elsewhere in Relationship Land, Jackie's racking up huge chiropractor bills thanks to her boyfriend's starting method, and Lori's trying to learn how to drive the ancient trucks her boyfriend's taken to collecting. Also, a good dope slap gets an alternator to behave; shop rags become uninvited and unwelcome guests in Joel's transmission; and a wonderful evening of hood dancing takes its toll on a $200 Chevy Nova. All this, plus a used car ad sets a new high for truth in advertising, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, are you ready for some wacko theories? Dennis in California puts Tom and Ray to the test, pondering his friend's contention that the best way to charge a dead car battery is by turning on every accessory in sight. Is there anything to this notion of "tickling the electrons"? Elsewhere in Wackyland, Jenny is convinced that her Civic has a harder time starting when its gas tank's not full; Linda needs to retro-fit her ATV to make it a good Summer sled-dog training vehicle; and mechanic-turned-sculptor Coby learns what happens when you add a few extra tons to a half-ton pickup. All this, plus some choice Last Words, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, Scott in Alaska is searching for a way to keep his windshield clean, and the local salmon population happy. You'd think a couple of MIT grads would know the perfect eco-friendly, wiper fluid solution, right? Well, maybe not so much. Meanwhile, Gregory's Chevy has a nasty habit of stalling when he parks facing uphill--which wouldn't be a big deal, except for the fact that he lives in San Francisco. Also, Cynthia's convinced that clean oil is improving her Acura's gas mileage, and has 100 bucks riding on Tom and Ray agreeing with her; Andy's got a pesky Check Engine light that's ignoring his best efforts to ignore it--and, why you never want to go to a movie with Ray. All this and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, Ray's quest for more "usable" sunshine leads him to a proposal both brilliant and wacko: Double-Dog Daylight Savings, probably not coming to a time zone near you. Then, Davis' squeaky Durango sparks another novel idea: if you don't know where a squeak is coming from, just dip the whole car in silicone spray. Elsewhere, Sarah's got an exploding rear windshield, Ben can't shift his Accord into Park, and Natalie's trying to convince her husband that spending lunch hour in his car listening to sports talk radio is a bad idea. Finally, Chris is looking for a suitable prank to get back at the guys who left a dead fish in his truck. Fortunately for Chris, our hosts might just have a few ideas. All this and lots more, this week on Car Talk.