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Car Talk Episode Guide

Episode #1216

title: “Buona Fortuna”

airdate: 2012-04-21

Advice to the Lovelorn Department

Study finds marriages are better when a woman marries a man who’s uglier

time: 2:00

Brooke from Oak Park, Illinois

1997 Chevy Lumina

“Beautiful” / “If you say so”

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1995_Chevrolet_Lumina_LS_(10333826246).jpg

Loud noise when putting in reverse and applying the brakes

time: 7:19

Elizabeth in Montgomery, Alabama

Nail in tire - take it out?

1992 Toyota 4Runner

time: 12:40

John from Jackson, Wyoming

1990 Honda Civic hatchback

Knocking/“clucking” noise when accelerating around a corner

Needs 2 axles replaced?

time: 15:50

Break

Music

Ad

time: 17:33

Answer to last week’s #puzzler (#1215)

Rests after pushing car up hill

time: 21:01

Kristie from Atlanta, Georgia

1999 Kia Sportage

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kia_Sportage#First_generation_(NB;_1993)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1st_Kia_Sportage_4-door.jpg

Plays car sound live on the call

Oil starts pouring out live on the call

Explanation of oil purpose

“You gonna buy another #car[Kia]?” “Noooo!”

Continuing driving ruined it

Ray had same problem, but car was under warranty

time: 27:33

Drew from Cranbury, New Jersey

Put 3-foot scratch in hood while washing girlfriend’s car

Girlfriend furious

Pristine 2002 Chevrolet Prizm

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geo_Prizm#Third_generation_(E110)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:98-02_Chevrolet_Prizm.png
• “In all three generations, the Prizm was virtually the same car as the Toyota Corolla.” - from Wikipedia

Girlfriend comes on the call

Baby on the way

Deformed the metal a little

Lend the money? Get job at repair place?

time: 33:40

Break

Music

time: 35:12

New #puzzler

Birds arriving and leaving at bird feeder would arrive at different directions

time: 37:22

Jessica from Huntington Beach, California

1989 Toyota Camry

Also owns a #car[Lexus]

Gross problem: flies (insects) in car, then maggots

Tommy’s house got infested

time: 41:38

Mark from Geneva, Illinois

1985 Volvo 240

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_200_Series
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1986_Volvo_244_GL_in_Bucharest.jpg
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1988-1991_Volvo_240_GL_station_wagon_(2011-06-15)_01.jpg

Tailpipe dragging on pavement

Muffler fell off

Mechanic said to leave it off given the car’s age

Environmental drawbacks?

Gas mileage issues?

In grad school

time: 45:10

Heather from Richmond, Virginia

This is from #0718 - is this whole episode a rerun?

(About 5 mins, 10 seconds. Original is 5 mins, 50 seconds. What’s been trimmed?)

time: 50:29

Close credits

“The Da Vinci Code debunkers in Harvard Square”

Says #1216 @ time: 52:20

Record car noises on smartphone and post on website