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Car Talk Episode Guide

Episode #1217

title: “Cynthia and the Swimming Goats”

airdate: 2012-04-28

file sha512sum: 5c61926fb07e...

The Mon Dieu Department

#car[GM] partnering with #car[Peugeot]

time: 2:22

Kat from Seattle, Washington

2002 Pontiac Grand Prix

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_Grand_Prix#Seventh_generation_(1997%E2%80%932003)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Grand_Prix_Sedan_(1997-2003).JPG
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1997_Pontiac_Grand_Prix_GT_coupe,_front_left,_09-09-2023.jpg

Took a speed bump really fast

Donkey noise

MacPherson strut

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacPherson_strut#/media/File:Mcpherson_strut.jpg

Strut mount

“The car’s the right age to need struts anyway”

Could be dangerous

time: 6:42

Cynthia from Newcastle, California

1987 VW Vanagon

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Type_2_(T3)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vanagon_wolfsburg.jpg
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vanagon_1984_US_Wolfsburg_Edition.jpg
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:00707_knRz5aAT8e0_1200x900.jpg
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vw_t3_s_sst.jpg

Transports her swimming goats

Wants a new car

Dark? Windows?

#car[Dodge,Caravan] / #car[Dodge,Grand Caravan]

#car[Honda,Odyssey]

#car[Toyota,Sienna]

Reliability

time: 11:05

Dave from [Fairfield, Connecticut]

1993 Ford Escort station wagon

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Escort_(North_America)#Second_generation_(1991%E2%80%931996)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ford_Escort_Wagon_1995.jpg

Keeps for sentimental reasons

Drips oil on your leg

Put plywood in as temporary solution

Engine oil from the steering column?

Actually transmission oil (transmission)

Faulty seal

time: 15:14

Remember last week’s puzzler?

Break

Music (“Stay away from my Pinto”, “Take this car and junk it”) (#car[Ford,Pinto])

time: 17:07

Ad

time: 17:27

Last week’s #puzzler

Bird feeder

Bruno

time: 21:22

Dan from Oakland, CA

2000 Volvo Cross Country

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_Country_(Volvo)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_Cross_Country
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_V70#V70_XC
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_V70#V70_XC_/_XC70
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Volvo_V70_XC.JPG

“Birthmobile”, son born in car.

Dad wants to keep car or give son the seat

Insurance problem because seats have airbags

time: 26:15

Lisa from Old Forge, New York

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:702FJCrewBlueDiamond.jpg
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Toyota-FJ-Cruiser-1.jpg
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_FJ_Cruiser

Lightning struck the car

time: 30:52

Paul from Acton, Massachusetts

Changed brake pads and rotors on wife’s minivan

DIY

2003 Toyota RAV-4

Front brakes make a clunking sound

When pushing the brake in and off

With newfound knowledge of brakes, can repair himself?

Ball joints and Tie-rod ends

time: 34:09

Break

Music

time: 35:22

New #puzzler

Games of chance

From Frank DeRizi?

Ray’s friend Giovanni plays lottery in Italy

Listening to radio station in car, knows he won after the first number is read

time: 38:07

Roger from/near Salina, Colorado

2000 Ford Ranger

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Ranger_(Americas)#Third_generation_(1998)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ford_Ranger_Extended_Cab.JPG

Put battery in backwards

DIY

42:20

Liz from [Alexandria, Virginia](

2002 Subaru Outback

Thinking of selling it

#car[Check engine light] went off

Mchanic said to replace the catalytic converter

Used aftermarket part

3 days later the light went back on

#car[Subaru] tends to have this problem

“It’s the cheapest person who spends the most”

time: 46:55

Scott from San Diego, California

Wife wants to buy high-powered motorcycle and bolt on sidecar for kids

Instead, a convertible?

time: 50:27

Close credits

Episodes which mention this one:

2012-05-05: #1218: “Tire Pressure Goblins”