Carolyn lives just around the corner from 'our fair city' and is married to a former automotive safety engineer who apparently can't let go of his old job. He wants Carolyn to wear a bike helmet while driving -just for a little extra safety. Is this a case of inspired innovation, Social suicide?(Yep) or both? Check it out -along with the return of the puzzler- on this episode of the Best of Car Talk!

#2208: How Safe is Too Safe?

Lisa from Washington, DC was told by her mechanic that she doesn't drive her VW Golf often enough and that this will lead to all sorts of mechanical malfunction in the car's future. Tom and Ray try to explain why cars that only travel a few miles per day are prone to certain failures. Lisa thinks that an 'Italian Tune-up' should cure it. Find out why on this episode of the Best of Car Talk!

#2207: The Italian Tune Up

Most of us have had that family member who went off the deep end with some cockamamie diet or exercise or other 'miracle cure' for something. But the health and wellness industry has nothing on the world of automotive miracle cures. Stu from Maryland may be inadvertently on to something thanks to a recent maintenance mix-up on his Nissan. Find out what on this episode of The Best of Car Talk!

#2206: Click and Clack's 40 Weight Cleanse

Reggie from South Carolina noticed an odor coming from her car's air conditioning that smelled suspiciously like the stink of the kids in her car pool. Will the dealer's remedy for the problem work or will the ac and the kids continue to duke it out for 'stink supremacy' until one of them wins, Reggie perishes or both? Find out on this episode of The Best of Car Talk!

#2205: The Hitchhiker Test

Before you start listening, we want to inform how your login helps us improve your experience. We kindly ask you to read through and approve the following.

Podplay uses cookies to enhance your user experience. If you do not agree to this, you can turn off cookies in your browser. Read our [cookie policy](https://podplay.zendesk.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360037365292-Cookie-Policy) for more information about cookies and our [privacy policy](https://podplay.zendesk.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360037735731-Privacy-Policy) for more information about our personal data processing.

Failed to load content!

The page you were looking for was moved or doesn't exist.


Exclusive content

This is an episode that only is available on Podplay for logged in users.

You now have access to our entire range of content!

You need to login to listen to this episode. Create an account or log in to explore our entire range of content!

Enter your email address and we will send you a link where you can choose a new password.

A link has been sent to the email address you entered.

To use Podplay, we recommend that you use the latest version of Safari, Edge, Firefox or Chrome. 

Podplay podcasts

Change playback speed

The podcast {{podcastName}} is embedded on this page from an open {{RSSLink}}. All files, descriptions, artwork and other metadata from the RSS-feed is the property of the podcast owner and not affiliated with or validated by Podplay.

The podcast {{podcastName}} is distributed by Podplay. Here you find the podcasts {{RSSLink}}.

Discover and listen to {{category}} podcasts

Popular podcasts

{{title}} | {{podcastTitle}} | Listen at Podplay

{{title}} | {{podcastTitle}} | Podplay

Page not found

An error has occurred

Forgot password

Log in for a better listening experience.

Log in

{{title}} | Listen at Podplay

Reset password

Sign up for a better listening experience

Sign up

Find and listen to your favourite podcasts at Podplay - Your home for podcasts.

Find and listen to your favourite podcasts at Podplay.

Podplay | Your Home for Podcasts

Discover the most popular podcasts on Podplay

Top 100 podcasts

Account settings - Consents

Account settings - Data

My account – delete account

Account settings - settings

My account - Settings

My account

My account - password

Something went wrong, please try again. If the problem persists, please contact us.


Before you start listening, we want to inform you how your login helps us improve your experience. We kindly ask you to read through and approve the following.

Go to start page

Top 100

Your consents

Click the button below to request your data. The data will be sent to the email associated with your account.

You have already requested your data. You must wait before requesting again.

A download link will be sent to your email when the file has been created.

Request your data

Click below to delete your account. Note that all information associated with your account, such as which podcasts you follow and listening history, will also be deleted.

Delete Account

Update account information

You have entered wrong password. Please try again.

Update password

For security reasons, please enter your password below to make this change.


America's funniest auto mechanics take calls from weary car owners all over the country, and crack wise while they diagnose Dodges and dismiss Diahatsus. You don't have to know anything about cars to love this one hour weekly laugh fest.

The Best of Car Talk

About the podcast The Best of Car Talk

Categories