Car Talk on NCPR

This week's Car Talk kicks off with one listener's brilliant (and only sorta wacko) theory: a non-essential repair on an old car creates a parallel universe in which everything else starts to break. Then it's off to New Mexico, where Nolina has two choices for dealing with a disintegrating head gasket: a $2500 engine re-build, or a $10 can of Bar's Leaks. Any bets on which side Tom and Ray come down on? Elsewhere, Michael in New Jersey needs to replace his beloved minivan with something that can accommodate his Daniel Pinkwater-ish body and his very picky teenage daughter; Brian's looking for a way to convince Little League parents to stop parking in his driveway that doesn't involve slashing tires; and on Stump the Chumps, does Tom manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of a Ray victory? All this, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.

This week on Car Talk, good intentions go bad. For starters, Todd decided to buy his girlfriend a 1973 Ford LTD, on the premise it would be safe and easy to work on. Unfortunately, the car's loud backfire has led to one dead cat, several deceased goldfish, and one very strained relationship. Elsewhere, Kate's friends decided to surprise her by picking her up in her car. The only problem? They didn't know how to drive a stick, and burned out her clutch. And out in Montana, Dari's mechanics were fixing a sensor on her truck when it just happened to fall off the lift, at full height. Also, Peter in Alaska discovers a new Primordial soup on his dipstick; and should Sven realize his life-dream of owning a '62 Mini, even if it's been sitting on blocks for 25 years and the owner won't tell him why? All this, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.