Episodes
Two Saab stories and the even sadder tale of Yvonne's Chevy Cavalier. All of that and a dog named 'Weasel' on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Published 01/30/24
Two completely different 'Babes in the Wild' calls from Newton on Safari in Kenya and Justin cruising in DC on this episode of the Best of Car Talk.
Published 01/27/24
If a nationally-known burger chain situated on a long stretch of highway is the only restroom for the next 75 miles is it ok to 'use the facilities' there without making a purchase? Click and Clack help Darrell probe the ethics of 'dining and dashing' without the 'dining' part on this episode of the Best of Car Talk.
Published 01/23/24
Kevin could really use some help figuring out a problem with his Nissan, but Click and Clack are more interested in Kevin's job at the car wash. Don't forget to order the 'hot wax special' on this episode of the Best of Car Talk.
Published 01/20/24
Add at least one more to the list of qualities that Tommy's erstwhile Dodge Dartre lacked: well made, dependable, fine handling, good looking and, not surprisingly, seaworthy. Tim from Washington regales us with the tale of his submersible '66 Dodge Dart on this episode of the Best of Car Talk.
Published 01/16/24
The back door on Ted's old Plymouth van is so rusty that exhaust fumes are seeping in and killing off brain cells to the point that the poor guy is calling Car Talk for advice. Can Click and Clack save Ted's remaining brain cells? Or at least the van? Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk.
Published 01/13/24
Click and Clack try fielding calls in Spanish, give terrible marital advice and insult their Mother directly to her face! All on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800 Car Talk episodes, wherever you listen to podcasts. Find out more at plus.npr.org/cartalk or find the Car Talk channel in Apple Podcasts.
Published 01/09/24
The sudden, gut-wrenching need for 'A Wicked Haircut' is a part of Car Talk Puzzler lore. Dennis from Ohio experienced this firsthand, as a result of an iced tea on a long drive and he writes to tell Click and Clack about it on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800 Car Talk episodes, wherever you listen to podcasts. Find out more at plus.npr.org/cartalk or find the...
Published 01/06/24
Almost anything sounds reasonable -desirable even, if you choose the right words. In this episode of the Best of Car Talk, Ray explains 'vehicular intimacy' to his big brother Tom. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800 Car Talk episodes, wherever you listen to podcasts. Find out more at plus.npr.org/cartalk or find the Car Talk channel in Apple Podcasts.
Published 01/02/24
The AC on Wendy's VW sent smoke and fumes into the car on her 5 hour drive to visit her bureaucrat boyfriend in DC. He is unconcerned and tells her it was 'probably nothing' and now Click and Clack are trying to help Wendy fix the VW and dump the bureaucrat on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800 Car Talk episodes, wherever you listen to podcasts. Find out more at...
Published 12/30/23
Darlene's Daughter Has an old Volvo that's overheating. On a recent trip she pulled over when the dash light came on and, lacking any water, added a few bottles of her favorite carbonated beverage. Will the Volvo be refreshed or ruined? Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800 Car Talk episodes, wherever you listen to podcasts. Find out more at...
Published 12/26/23
Click and Clack think that Bill's stalling Peugeot has a bad 'Fool Management System'... or is that 'FUEL Management System'? Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800 Car Talk episodes, wherever you listen to podcasts. Find out more at plus.npr.org/cartalk or find the Car Talk channel in Apple Podcasts.
Published 12/23/23
Gary's Mother-in-law had a gorgeous 1967 Ford T-bird... until Gary tried to fix it for her. Gary knows he's not good enough for her daughter, but is he no longer fit to walk this earth, too? Click and Clack try to save Gary's bacon on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800 Car Talk episodes, wherever you listen to podcasts. Find out more at plus.npr.org/cartalk or...
Published 12/19/23
Do two people who don't know what they are talking about know more or less than one person who doesn't know what he's talking about? Listener Andy posits and Click and Clack provide the proof on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800 Car Talk episodes, wherever you listen to podcasts. Find out more at plus.npr.org/cartalk or find the Car Talk channel in Apple Podcasts.
Published 12/16/23
What could be worse than having a Dodge Colt Vista that won't run? How about two Plymouth Volares that will? And if all that isn't enough excitement, Alison from upstate New York schools Click and Clack on the finer points of Cow-Tipping(15% is customary, right?) all on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800 Car Talk episodes, wherever you listen to podcasts. Find...
Published 12/12/23
Susan and her husband are anthropologists preparing for a junket- er,'expedition', rather- to study the Maya culture from the vantage point of Mexico's most luxurious tourist destinations. They have their pith helmets, jodhpurs and magnifying glasses packed and ready to go. But do they also need the 'full rhino package' for the front of their Isuzu, or will that just spoil their view of the beach? Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk,...
Published 12/09/23
Paul needs help with the electric brakes on his cattle trailer. Click and Clack have lots of ideas but only one question for Paul: "How do electric brakes work, exactly?" Enlightenment ensues on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800 Car Talk episodes, wherever you listen to podcasts. Find out more at plus.npr.org/cartalk or find the Car Talk channel in Apple Podcasts.
Published 12/05/23
Joy's Cadillac has been making a cute little noise for a while and she called Car Talk for a little reassurance that it wasn't anything major. Click and Clack, customer service professionals that they are, managed to administer last rites with a smile on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800 Car Talk episodes, wherever you listen to podcasts. Find out more at...
Published 12/02/23
On this episode of the Best of Car Talk, Dorothea wants to sue her mechanic. Now you might expect Click and Clack to stand up for a fellow professional, but instead they take a few swings at a profession even lower on the 'trustworthiness scale' than car mechanics: lawyers. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800 Car Talk episodes, wherever you listen to podcasts. Find out more at plus.npr.org/cartalk or...
Published 11/28/23
Kathleen commutes 100 miles per day in her leased Chrysler and the excess mileage charges are going to clobber her when she returns the car in a few years. She wants to know how likely would it be for the odometer to suddenly stop working, and could Click and Clack explain in detail how that might happen? Will they or won't they? Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access...
Published 11/25/23
Leslie from Washington parked her crummy Chrysler K car on a hill one day only to return later and watch it rolling backwards and into a tree. She's sure that she had placed the car in park when she left it. Is there a mechanical explanation for this or did the ol' bucket of bolts decide on it's own to end it all? Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800...
Published 11/21/23
Of the two kinds of 'golf widows', Linda is the happy kind -more than willing to let her husband waste hours smacking a little ball around a field while she enjoys some time of her own. But Linda's quality time is threatened by hubby's golf cart acting up. Can Click and Clack the Golf(cart) Pros come to Linda's rescue? Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than...
Published 11/18/23
Dee from Freeport, Maine has a pickup truck that sounds like 'distressed ducks' as he chugs along. Can Click and Clack locate the ducks' nest hidden somewhere in Dee's truck or will he have to wait until they fly south for the winter? Find out on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800 Car Talk episodes, wherever you listen to podcasts. Find out more at...
Published 11/14/23
Sarah was just trying to keep hydrated with her oversized water bottle always by her side in her Saab. Somewhere along the way, the car developed it's own thirst, too and now Sarah has to pour water on it to get the lights to turn on. Find out if there's a happy ending to Sarah's Saab story on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800 Car Talk episodes, wherever you...
Published 11/11/23
Marco's wife is harping about his shifting technique, Bill's bride wants him to get rid of his old Lincoln Town Car and Amy has alarm bells going off randomly in her Pontiac. You'd think that our hosts would need to stay pretty on point in order to give out good advice here, but you'd be wrong. Amazing feats of unfocused fancy on this episode of the Best of Car Talk. And if you want to listen to more Car Talk, sign up for Car Talk+ Car Talk+ is the easiest way for fans to access more than 800...
Published 11/07/23