Author: By Ray Magliozzi
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Car Talk: Car safety for rear-end collisions
Dear Car Talk: I have been rear-ended twice in the past two years while sitting at a light, by drivers who do not bother to brake at all. I have a huge, bright-blue-and-white 1973 F-250 pickup truck (without lap belts, head rests or air bags, of course). This truck, I would think, is hard to…
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Car Talk: When “normal” is still under warranty
Dear Car Talk: I have a 2014 Ford Focus with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that shudders on takeoff and then smooths out past second gear. The dealer says this is normal, and we have put up with the shudder until recently. At 13,000 miles, it has become worse. I checked with a very reputable…
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Car Talk: Can Ray help her car get its groove back?
Dear Car Talk: I have a 1991 Honda Civic Wagon with almost 180,000 miles. It runs fine, except that it has an intermittent hesitation problem that is happening more frequently. It happens only at low speeds or after stopping at a light. Sometimes I will notice some sputtering while I am stopped, and then when…
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Car Talk: Finding the right car for winter conditions
Dear Car Talk: Is there a rule of thumb about what sort of vehicle is most stable on icy roads — maybe all-wheel drive versus two-wheel drive, or wide wheelbase versus narrow wheelbase? Last winter I slid sideways off a highway, across the shoulder, through the ditch and up against a fence. Ever since then,…
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Car Talk: Snow tires are a must in certain climates
Dear Car Talk: I wanted to follow up on a call I heard recently on your NPR radio show. A caller getting ready to replace a Honda Civic wanted to know if she needed all-wheel drive for driving in the snow. You guys suggested a Subaru. I had a Honda Civic (that I loved!), but…
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Car Talk: A ‘Saab’ Story of Hard-To-Find Parts
Dear Car Talk: My dad passed away and left me a 1983 Saab 900 Turbo hatchback in PERFECT physical condition, but it does NOT run. Parts are impossible to find. Can you put a Toyota or Honda engine in a car like that? Am I crazy to consider this? Thanks! — Susie In a word,…
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Car Talk: In battle of high-mileage Subaru versus lower-mileage Jeep, which one wins?
Dear Car Talk: I love, love, love your show and column. I just inherited a 2006 Jeep Commander with 60,000 miles on it. It’s in almost mint condition. But I have been driving a 2003 Subaru Forester since buying it new in 2002. It has 150,000 miles. It’s had expensive repairs in the past couple…
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Car Talk: Rising belt lines explained By Ray Magliozzi
Dear Car Talk: What is a “rising belt line”? I saw a car review recently on your cartalk.com website that said “… as today’s styles call for a rising belt line …” Thanks. – Ed Well, Ed, the longer a man is married, the higher his belt line gets. I’ve been married for over 40…
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Car Talk: Get inherited car checked out the same as you would a used car
Dear Car Talk: I am a recent widower. My 22-year-old granddaughter is coming to live with me. Her dad (my son) gave her his 2004 Ford Focus. It has 106,000 miles on it. He did the basics, e.g., changed the oil, bought new tires, got brakes and an alignment. It has the original plugs, and…
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Car Talk: Safety technologies in cars seem to be able to go the distance
Dear Car Talk: I keep my cars for about 10 years and drive a lot of miles. I am ready for my next car, and am considering the new Lexus NX 200t with the four-cylinder turbo. My concern is that these new cars have a lot of high-tech gadgets, like adaptive cruise controls, a system…