The Best of Car Talk

It was bound to happen. A woman with a crush on her mechanic called in to find out what to do to her car to have an excuse to go visit.

On another week, Tom had mail to read. Ray didn't like that but Tom said he listened to Ray's puzzlers. Tom read kids' comments about what makes a good marriage. One said "Tell your wife she looks good even if she looks like a truck." Tom said he did that. The next caller was a woman who said, "A TRUCK?" Tom asked what he would be getting for dinner and it was suggested he would be eating dog food. Tom said his wife didn't listen but her friends did and had to debate whether to tell her what he had said.

In the credits, Catherine was, "Quit? You're fired!"

They're still trying to do shows that sound like they're current, or at least topical. One woman called about a flood in Houston. I guess Houston has had flooding. Anyway, the guys commented about how it has been really bad in that area.

Last Sunday they mentioned their 88-year-old father and their mother who was still alive when they said it. I think Tom said how old his daughter was. The '63 Dart was still running but the '65 Ambassador had been given away.

Lisa Carr called and, since she has been in the credits at times, she wanted to be paid. They said no one gets paid.

It's hard to get the point of continuing the reruns. Tom & Ray were great, but with a show like car maintenance, it must be recent, for the most part, to be topical. Considering the availability of 'The CAR Show' and Bobby Likis, the reruns don't serve much of a purpose. It's a bit of an indictment over the lack of fresh thinking by NPR that they continue.

Whoever was paying for the broadcast, Tom's description included "National Public Radio".

In response to the truck comment, a listener commented that this was not necessarily an insult. It depends on the truck. This was read in place of the new Puzzler, as the Puzzler is now on summer vacation.

umfan said:

It's hard to get the point of continuing the reruns. Tom & Ray were great, but with a show like car maintenance, it must be recent, for the most part, to be topical. Considering the availability of 'The CAR Show' and Bobby Likis, the reruns don't serve much of a purpose. It's a bit of an indictment over the lack of fresh thinking by NPR that they continue.

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If the advice is good, I don't see the problem. It's not really the advice I'm there for.

And Ray continues the newspaper column.

Jay Leno might be available Saturday mornings.

THAT would be a reason to tune in. Where did you hear this?

You want to screw the pooch, bring Anvil Jaw Leno in.

Lots of cars have been recalled, but the guys say NPR hasn't recalled this show.

I haven't verified this but it sounded like someone named Magliozzi won The Puzzler.

During the break, Ray wants to regroup. Join the others in a group without Tom.

Twice the guys referred to their two listeners and worried they had drive them off.

The web site said Migliozzi was the name of the winner.

Why have breaks? To allow stations to give people other options or tell them where to get earplugs.

If you simply can't do without a Puzzler while it's on vacation, seek professional help.

Or go to the website for pre-owned Puzzlers. Or is it used?

Tom's 16-year-old son gave advice related to a mother wanting to get her teenager a car. Listeners were asked to help decide what kind of car, if any, Alex would get.

Oh, and Alex said no to the Dart.

Ray continues to tell us about new stuff on their web site. Now if it's mentioned in the show, says it, something on the web site "this week" might not be there. But maybe someone checks for such comments and updates the site accordingly.

"Frau Blucher" was mentioned (with neigh) when they were talking about what mechanics' wives might be like.

Okay this thread has now crossed into bizarro-land. vchimpanzee has been doing Car Talk episode play by play for weeks it appears, to himself.

There's nothing wrong with documenting what they do. Do you have a better way?

The discussion continues here.

http://www.radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?697116-Best-of-Car-Talk

Since it is under "syndication" and the show is not syndicated, a merger would be appreciated.

The guys talked about debates the week of the first Trump vs. Hillary event. It's like whoever selects what airs is still pretending each week's show is new.

Last week Ray reminded us the brothers ran for President in 2000 ... but it was an introduction to a special edition to be interrupted for fund-raising, including Ray's own reminders of the importance of contributing. I assume a "real" episode for stations doing that some other time is online for me to listen to when I go to a library where I can tomorrow. At home my slow Internet makes that frustrating.