clickandclack
How did crazy"Car Talk" brothers Tom and Ray Magliozzi get their start as the mavens of the motor world? Tom Magliozzi claims to have successfully avoided doing anything that looks like work for some time now, but it was a lot of work to get …Read More
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Click & Clack: Tractor carburetor may need replacing
Dear Tom and Ray: Do you ever address questions about old farm tractors? Our 1945 Farmall-A starts well and runs well for about 10 to 20 minutes, but then it starts to miss and then stalls out, typically while going up a slope — even …Read More
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Click & Clack: Scary situation was dealer’s fault
Dear Tom and Ray: I never would have imagined that my automotive life would be interesting enough to merit communicating with you guys, but 20 or so years after first discovering you, I think I have an experience worth sharing. Actually, it’s my wife’s experience, …Read More
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Click & Clack: Gift suggestions for trusted mechanics
Dear Tom and Ray: When your auto mechanic offers to help sell your 1997 Subaru, what percentage of the sale is appropriate to give him as a thank you? If I ask him, I think he will decline because he sees it as a favor …Read More
More Columns
Click & Clack: It’s time to let go of this car
Dear Tom and Ray: My boyfriend drives a 2000 Ford Taurus station wagon with 112,000 miles. He’s an MD and specializes in palliative care medicine, which is to say he helps patients, families and other doctors navigate the scary time around the end of life. …
Click & Clack: A burning clutch question
Dear Tom and Ray: I purchased a Kia Forte Koup in March of 2010. After receiving the car, it blew three clutches in an eight-month period. I have been driving a stick my entire life, and I know how to use a clutch. The problem …
Click & Clack: Engine can be used to cook
Dear Tom and Ray: When I pick up my teenage son from school, he is so ravenous that I worry he’ll eat one of his younger siblings when I’m not looking. So we’re forced to stop and get him a jumbo quesadilla, which is the …
Click & Clack: Converter replacement makes sense in this case
Dear Tom and Ray: I love your show. I recently got a 2001 Audi A8L that now has 130,000 miles on it. The only other owner was my dad, and he took extremely great care of the car. Recently, the check engine light has been …
Click & Clack: Digital stick-on clock will solve the problem
Dear Tom and Ray: My car time travels into the future. I have a 2004 Volvo XC70 station wagon (I know it’s dowdy, but it’s better than a minivan, right?) that for some reason does not keep proper time. I can set the clock to …
Click & Clack: Many dual exhausts are just for looks
Dear Tom and Ray: I really like the look of the prominent chrome dual exhausts seen on so many cars and trucks these days. To me, they give a look of masculinity to the vehicle. For years it seemed that manufacturers installed only single exhausts, …
Click & Clack: Dog belongs in back seat for everyone’s safety
Dear Tom and Ray: My son has a 2006 Jeep that he uses to carry around tennis equipment and his dogs. His youngest dog, a 10-month-old, 60-pound male golden retriever, likes to sit in the front passenger seat. He is heavy enough to cause the …
Click & Clack: How many diagnostics does one car need?
Dear Tom and Ray: The dashboard of our 2004 Honda lit up like a Christmas tree. We had the car towed to our local Honda dealer. When we were presented with the repair bill, we were dismayed to see that we had been charged $80 …
Click & Clack: Gentle braking is better for car
Dear Tom and Ray: I always brake by lightly touching the brakes — not jerkily, so that any rider would notice — but sort of gradually coming to a stop. My daughter, after 40 years of riding with me, has noticed and asked why. I …
Click & Clack: It’s the last dance for this mechanic
Dear Tom and Ray: I’ve been a fan for years. I had a great 2000 Ford Crown Victoria, which I always had serviced at a local muffler/repair shop. Last year, I gave the car to my daughter in Michigan. When she took it to her …
Click & Clack: In a Prius, B stands for downshifting
Dear Tom and Ray: Recently my husband and I rented a Toyota Prius in California — which we enjoyed driving, by the way. While driving in our many national parks, I was concerned that there seemed to be no way to downshift the car. Navigating …
Click & Clack: Urea is a legitimate expense for a Mercedes
Dear Tom & Ray: Can this be true or are my wife and I just gullible? Our dealer claims that we need to add “urea” to our BlueTec 350 Mercedes engine. With 21,000 miles on the car, we have spent almost $200 with the dealer …
Click & Clack: Pine needles in oil are harmless
Dear Tom and Ray: When I was filling my engine with new oil, pine needles fell into the oil and are now in the engine. The little stem that went in had three needles on it, each approximately 4 inches long (long-leaf pine, Pinus palustris). …
Click & Clack: A few things could cause car to stall
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Click & Clack: Sunroof repair is worth making
Dear Tom and Ray: The sunroof on my 1998 Toyota RAV4 doesn’t close anymore. The Toyota repair guy says it will cost $1,700 to replace the motor and cables ($1,400 for parts, $300 labor). The blue-book value for my car appears to be about $3,500, …
Click & Clack: What to do when a shop makes a mistake
Dear Tom and Ray: I took my GMC (2006 K2500 Extended Cab) to the purchasing dealer for service. My truck has only 20,000 miles on it. It was up on the lube rack when something either broke or collapsed, and my truck came down, rear …
Click & Clack: Using power accessories creates fuel costs
Dear Tom and Ray: My son staunchly states that in newer-model cars (like his 2003 Lincoln Navigator), gasoline consumption is not affected by turning on the lights and/or the air conditioner because of the advanced, high-tech electrical systems used these days. The argument became heated …
Click & Clack: Cars are not a lifetime purchase
Dear Tom and Ray: I’m 35, and I would like to purchase a diesel SUV that will last the rest of my life — ideally, into my 90s. My idea is that diesel engines last longer and that my family and I could rack up …
Click & Clack: Bike hitch won’t hurt resale value
Dear Tom and Ray: I have a 2007 Subaru Outback. It’s the perfect vehicle for driving over hills and curves during winter storms, hauling garden supplies and toting around Theo, my 75-pound golden doodle. Here’s my dilemma: I enjoy riding my bike with my friends. …
Click & Clack: Added-traction devices do help
Dear Tom and Ray: Do those clamp-on or strap-on devices that go on your tires help with winter driving traction? Or do they just clamp on my wallet? — James TOM: Sure, they can help. There are several different types of devices that can be …