Author: Ray Magliozzi
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Car Talk: What’s the worst you can do?
Dear Car Talk: My brother-in-law, who thinks that I am mistaken if my lips are moving, tells me that the worst thing I can do to my automatic transmission is start the car and immediately back out of my garage. His reasoning is that when the engine is warming up, it’s running faster than usual.…
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Car Talk: Sad to say, superhighways are pretty much free-for-alls
Dear Car Talk: I recently took a cross-country trip, and drove on many different types of roads, from switchbacks in national parks to five- and six-lane highways. Those multilane highways were the scariest. Are there any guidelines out there for how to drive safely on these monsters? Is the topic covered in the newer drivers’…
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Car Talk: Which safety features are worth it?
Dear Car Talk: In a recent column, you gave some advice on buying a new car. My wife and I are in a similar situation, looking for our first vehicle in about 20 years. We’re thinking of a small SUV — like a Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester or Mazda CX-5. But I’m unsure about the…
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Car Talk: Built-in GPS can’t hold a candle to Google Maps
Dear Car Talk: I don’t believe I’ve seen this addressed in your column before. I’m wondering if you can update the GPS in any older-model cars that have built-in displays. Is there an updated map you can buy from a dealer, or download to a laptop and then install on your vehicle? Specifically, I have…
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Car Talk: Car safety for rear-end collisions
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save 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…
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Car Talk: Reader is all out of ideas about mystery noise
Dear Car Talk: In hot weather, I occasionally hear a very loud horn-like sound when I drive at 65 mph or higher. The noise appears to be on the passenger side, toward the front of the car. The local Honda dealer and a local mechanic have checked belts, windows, sunroof and the hood latch. It…
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Car Talk: Three new windshields in three months is too many
Dear Car Talk: Let me start off by saying I’m a scientist. I graduated from Boston University with a science degree. It was there that I met my wife, who also is a scientist. When we come across a problem, we attack it scientifically. Our problem: In the short span of three months, my wife…
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Car Talk: Smart Car is maybe not so smart after all
Dear Car Talk: I took my 2008 Smart Fortwo to a dealership about three hours away (that’s the closest one), due to the car occasionally not going in reverse. We left it with the dealer and went on vacation close by, with plans to pick it up on way home. I got a call, saying…
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Car Talk: What could be the cause of car’s epically crazy gas consumption?
Dear Car Talk: I live in Kigali, Rwanda. I have a 1995 Toyota RAV4 two-door with an automatic transmission with 132,000 kilometers on it. It had, at some point, been converted from right-hand drive to left-hand drive, before being imported. It has crazy gas consumption –I get one kilometer per liter! The air is really…
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Car Talk: Mom is right to be worried about safety in an old car
Dear Car Talk: My daughter wants a “classic car” for her first car — e.g., a 1969-’70 Cougar, Maverick or some such thing. I’m not comfortable with her driving an older car, for several reasons: (1) safety features; (2) gas mileage; and (3) maintenance/fix-up costs. What are your thoughts about a “classic car” for a…