General Motors is a big car company that makes many different types of vehicles, including cars and trucks. They own several brands like Chevrolet and Cadillac.
The DeLorean is a famous car known for its unique design and gull-wing doors. It became really popular because it was in the 'Back to the Future' movies.
The Subaru Legacy is a car that has been around for many years and is known for being reliable and good in various weather conditions. The 1992 version is one of the earlier models.
Super premium gas is a type of fuel that has a higher quality than regular gas. It's better for some cars because it helps them run smoothly without making knocking noises.
The EGR solenoid helps manage how much exhaust gas goes back into the engine to make it run cleaner. If it doesn't work, it can cause problems like unusual noises or performance issues.
The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a small sports car that is fun to drive. It's known for being light and having a convertible roof, making it enjoyable on sunny days.
The Audi TT is a small, stylish sports car that comes in two versions: a hardtop and a convertible. It's known for being fun to drive and having a nice interior.
The Audi TTS Coupe Competition Plus is a fancy sports car that looks great and drives really fast. It's designed for people who love to drive and want something stylish and powerful. This car is special because it combines luxury features with a sporty feel.
Car
Mazda Miatas
Car
Toyota pickup
The 1993 Toyota pickup is a tough truck that many people trust for work and everyday use.
The clutch is a part of the car that helps the engine connect to the wheels. When it doesn't work well, it can make it hard to change gears, and it might need to be replaced.
The radiator is a part of the car that helps keep the engine cool by removing heat. If it starts to fail, it can cause the engine to overheat, which is bad for the car.
Reliability is about how dependable a car is. A reliable car is less likely to break down or need repairs, which is important for peace of mind and saving money on maintenance.
Ball joints are parts that connect the wheels to the car's body, helping them move up and down. If they get worn out, it can affect how the car drives.
The Chevy Vega is a small car made by Chevrolet in the 1970s. It had some problems with quality and reliability, which made it less popular among drivers.
Chrysler is a car company in the United States that makes different types of vehicles. They have been around for a long time and are known for making family cars and trucks.
The Dodge Aspen is a car that Chrysler made in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was designed to be a family car, but it didn't become very popular.
Car
Plymouth Velary
The Plymouth Velary is a car that was made by Chrysler around the same time as the Dodge Aspen. It was similar but targeted a different group of buyers.
The Chevy Citation is a small car that Chevrolet made a long time ago. It was one of the first cars to use front-wheel drive, which means the front wheels help move the car instead of the back wheels.
Rear brake lock up happens when the back wheels of a car stop turning while the front wheels are still moving. This can make it hard to steer the car safely.
The Chevrolet Impala is a big car that’s great for families because it has a lot of space inside. It’s known for being comfortable to drive and easy to get in and out of. This car has been around for a long time, which shows that many people really like it.
The Chevrolet Corvair is a small car from the 1960s that was different because its engine was in the back instead of the front. It was known for being fun to drive but also had some safety issues that made people worry. This car is remembered for its unique design and the discussions it sparked about car safety.
The Ford Maverick is a small truck that’s great for people who need to carry stuff but don’t want a big vehicle. It’s designed to be easy on gas and is affordable, making it a popular choice for everyday use. This truck is perfect for those who want something practical without spending too much money.
The Volkswagen Bus is a classic van that people loved to use for road trips and camping. It has a unique shape and a lot of space inside, making it great for families or groups of friends. Many people remember it fondly because it represents freedom and adventure.
Piston slap is a sound you might hear from an engine when the piston isn't fitting snugly in its cylinder. It can happen as the engine gets older and can mean that parts are wearing out.
The Ford Thunderbird is a stylish car that started out as a small sports car but later became a bigger luxury vehicle. It’s known for its beautiful design and was very popular in its time. People often talk about it because it represents a fun and glamorous era of driving.
The Ford GT is a super-fast sports car that looks really cool and is built for racing. It’s known for being one of the fastest cars you can buy and has a lot of advanced technology. People admire it because it shows how far Ford has come in making high-performance cars.
The AMC Pacer is a quirky little car from the 1970s that stands out because of its round shape. It was made to be roomy inside for families, but not everyone liked how it looked. People talk about it because it’s different and has a unique place in car history.
The AMC Matador is a larger car from the 1970s that was made for families. It had a big engine and a lot of space inside, but it didn’t sell as well as other cars at the time. People remember it for its unusual look and the tough competition it faced.
The Ford Mustang is a classic American car that is famous for being fast and stylish. It has been around for a long time and is loved by many people for its cool looks and powerful engine. It’s often talked about because it represents a fun and adventurous driving experience.
The Ford Falcon is a small car that was popular many years ago for being affordable and easy to drive. It was a good choice for families and people who wanted a reliable vehicle. This car is remembered for helping Ford compete with other brands in the compact car market.
The Toyota Supra is a fast sports car that became really popular in the 80s and 90s. It’s known for being powerful and looking great, which makes it a favorite among car lovers. Many people admire it because it can be modified to go even faster.
The Ford F-150 is a tough pickup truck that many people use for work and everyday tasks. It’s known for being strong and reliable, making it a favorite for those who need to haul things around. This truck is popular because it can handle a lot of different jobs and is built to last.
LIVE
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Hello and welcome to Choir Talk from National Public Radio.
With us, Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers.
And we're broadcasting this week from the new Millennium Division here at Choir Talk Plaza.
Well, here we are. We made it into the next Millennium without getting cancelled.
Well, I don't see. I don't think the next Millennium is start.
I think it's next year.
Everyone knows that. But it's 2001 is such a.
It doesn't have a ring to it.
It doesn't have a and doesn't have anything to it.
Right.
2000.
Whether it's the Millennium or not is a nice round number.
No one can deny that.
Oh, it's like that movie.
And if we're going to celebrate all those zeroes.
2000 Space Odyssey, right?
Yeah.
Well, today on this occasion, we're going to be looking both forward, obviously.
Yeah.
And backward, careful.
What did you do that?
You know who that is? The Roman God?
Yes, Janus.
Janus.
Yeah.
Yeah.
No, Janus.
Oh, Janus is the.
Janus is the is the Swedish skier.
Anyway, we're going to start off looking at a little prediction that my brother made about a decade ago in the early 1990.
My brother made what I consider a rather bold statement.
He was fresh off his successful prediction that Ford Motor Company would be the car company of the 80s.
I said that too.
And flush with success, he said, and I quote, General Motors will be the car company of the 90s.
So here we are.
The 90s are pretty much over, it seems to me.
And was GM the car company of the 90s?
Oh, man.
Well, this is your chance to make another prediction.
I mean, they're right down at the bottom of the pile.
Oh, man.
I mean, wouldn't you think that they might be the car company of the next decade?
I mean, wouldn't you think?
No, I'm not going for that.
Come on.
You've got to make another prediction.
I've got to make another prediction.
Well, it doesn't have to be about them.
The car company of the next millennium.
Of the aughts, yeah.
Well.
How about the next decade?
Ten years.
Okay.
Ten years.
It's like from 2000 to 2000-09.
Yeah.
10.
That year.
Hold on a minute.
Let me think about it.
Who we got?
Ford.
No, they've let me down.
General Motors, they've let me down.
AMC, they folded their tent.
AMC might come back.
AMC, don't forget.
We've always said AMC was way ahead of their time.
DeLorean.
How about this?
I'm ready.
But I'm going to make a prediction here.
I got it.
The car company that will make the greatest improvement in US sales in the next 10 years
will be Fiat.
Yeah, they're going to go from zero.
Any car they sell.
If they sell one car.
They're going to put them in infinity.
That's it.
Brilliant.
That's it.
Well, anyway, a little later on with perfect hindsight, we will be releasing our nominations
for the worst cars of the millennium, in our opinion.
And we'll tell you how to add your nomination to the list.
But in the meantime, we'll take calls at 888-CART-TALK, that's 888-227-8255.
Hello, you're on CART-TALK.
Hi, this is Carol Maggio in Redlands, California.
Carol.
Hi, Carol.
In Redlands?
Yes.
Okay, we got it.
Well, I just moved here to Redlands from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Albuquerque.
I drive a 92 Subaru Legacy.
Yeah.
And it was brought out here in the back of a moving van.
And I've never had a problem with the car.
And as soon as I got here, it started making this noise.
Only it's an intermittent noise.
I have to be going between 30 and 50 miles an hour.
Yeah.
And I have to be kind of going uphill.
And it'll make this noise like there's a bolt going around in a dryer or something.
Yeah, sure.
It only does it sometimes.
It doesn't do it all the time.
Yeah.
I've taken it to two different mechanics who have both told me that there's nothing wrong
with the car.
They can't find what it is.
Were you calling from like the racetrack?
There's a lot of background noise there.
Yeah.
Actually, I work at a radio station.
No kidding.
No kidding.
Well, we don't want to know which station it is because it's obviously going to compete
with ours.
I would like to see the inside of a radio station someday.
You know, we have to do the show from a truck.
I hate that.
Yeah.
It's a pain because we have to keep moving around.
Otherwise, they will triangulate on us and there will be repercussions.
I understand.
You understand.
I'm sure you do.
It sounds to me, Carol, like your car is pinging.
Oh, no.
It's much louder than a ping.
I changed from a super premium gas to just a regular.
Did that make it worse?
Yes.
That made it worse?
Yes.
When it does actually make the noise.
Well, then it's pinging.
It's pinging.
So what do I do?
Well, you go back to these guys and you tell them it's pinging.
They probably didn't drive it on the same road that you drove it on.
And I'm going to ask a crucial question and if the answer is wrong, we'll cut you off.
Exactly.
We'll have to lose you.
Okay.
Is it worse when the engine is warmed up or if the hill is steeper?
Yes.
Ta-da!
Yeah, no, it's pinging.
There's no question in my mind.
Pinging sounds like a bunch of bolts rattling around inside a coffee can.
Yes.
While it's doing this, if you were to back off the gas while you're climbing the hill.
It goes away.
It goes away.
It's absolutely pinging.
It's because your timing is way too advanced or more likely your EGR solenoid is not working.
Isn't the check engine light on?
No.
No check engine light?
No.
Well, when these guys said that nothing was wrong with the car, did they actually test
anything or did they simply drive it around?
I think they just drove it around.
Well, that was dumb.
Take it back and tell them it's pinging and tell them to find out why either the EGR isn't
working or the timing is too advanced or your timing belt has jumped a notch.
Any of those things could do it.
How many miles on the legacy?
90,000.
Okay, well, you have to get rid of this car anyway.
The legacy was okay for Albuquerque, New Mexico, but it's not right for Redlands.
I mean, it's time you got to get something a little bit, a little more pizzazz.
What would you recommend?
Amiata.
An Audi TT.
An Audi TT, yeah.
Do you work at like a top 40 radio station?
No.
Is it a blue hair station, songs from the 60s and 70s?
Not that either.
Not that either.
Classical.
Very hard rock.
Hard rock.
Hard rock.
Then you can be driving around those stinking legacy.
Let's get rid of that.
I mean, you'll get it fixed.
The problem is simple.
It's going to be the timing.
It'll take them 10 minutes to change it and it'll be perfect.
You can go back to using regular gas, which is all you ought to have to use in this car
anyway.
And start looking at Miata's and Audi TT's, Carol.
I will do that.
Thanks for calling.
Thank you.
See you.
Bye-bye.
Bye.
Hi.
1-888-CAR-TALK, that's 888-227-8255, a lawyer on Car Talk.
Hi, this is Marta in Washington, D.C.
Marta, Marta, rambling rows of the wild youth.
Oh, jeez.
Yeah, from Washington, D.C., are you a lawyer or a politician?
Neither.
I work for a nonprofit.
Ah, bless you.
So what's up, Marta?
Well, I have a dilemma.
My husband and I have two cars.
One of them is a 1993 Toyota pickup, one of those totally standard two-wheel drive pickups
where the only additional thing we got on it was cloth seats.
Yeah.
It has about 105,000 miles.
As opposed to the milk boxes that came standard with it.
Yeah, okay.
And then the other car we have is a 1984 Saab 900 with 123,000 miles on it.
And we are driving from the Washington area to my parents' house in Ohio.
And then we will bring my sister home from my parents' house.
Can't help you push on the way home.
Well, that's just it.
That's the question.
Exactly.
How many miles on the pickup truck?
The pickup has 105,000.
The pickup runs great.
It's never been too much of a problem.
It seems to be a relatively reliable car.
The problem is the Saab has this weird sound, you know, when we put the clutch in, it kind
of goes, you know.
And we took it to a mechanic and the mechanic said, well, the clutch needs to be replaced
and there's this sort of rotor thing that I'm not very good with these terms.
Make up the terms.
We'll figure it out.
The clutch release barrier.
That is apparently leaking or it needs to be replaced as well and the radiator is going
to go.
So, I mean, the mechanic actually also broke the key off into the lock.
Just to tick you off.
So, the question is, do we drive this Saab up there since it is the one that only accepts,
you know, a passenger in it?
I was going to ask, is your sister going to ride in the back of the pickup truck all the
way from Ohio?
With the Labrador retrievers?
Well, that's just it.
My husband seems to think that maybe we could take the truck and he would get in the back.
No, if he sat in the back, you'd have to shoot him at the end of the trip because he'd
be foaming at the mouth.
Or you could take the rented car.
Yeah, that's what we were wondering.
It doesn't sound to me like you have a vehicle that can do this in your possession at this
time.
And you have to go to Ohio?
Well, my parents were to go and live somewhere else, but yeah, I think we have to go to Ohio.
Yeah, no, I mean, you obviously can't take the Saab because it's an old car.
Yeah.
Well, if you're interested in making the trip, you know, without breaking down, then you
really have to rent a car.
But in the spirit of adventure, I would take the Saab.
Will you come bail me out in Pennsylvania when it breaks down?
No, I mean, the truth is the chances of making it to Ohio and back are better than not in
my humble opinion, no matter what's wrong with it.
How long has the clutch been making the noise?
Probably for the last two months.
We actually only had the car for three months.
I'm going to change my mind.
You haven't owned the Saab long enough for this car to have any true feelings for you.
Oh, okay.
Yeah, absolutely.
Three months is no way near.
It takes a long time to understand the car and for the car to understand you.
And you can't take a car on a long trip unless you've had some experience with what is its
reliability?
I mean, living in DC, how much do you drive the thing?
Mostly on the weekend.
Yeah, gridlock every other time.
You can do the right thing and relegate this car to driving only around town in which case
you don't fix anything until it absolutely breaks and you rent the car.
And that's the best advice we can give you.
We know you're not going to heat it.
And remember to bring the rifle so you can shoot your husband at the end of the trip with the pickup.
And before you leave, it wouldn't be a bad idea to take the Toyota someplace and have someone
check everything out.
Make sure you don't have any belts or hoses that are ready to fall off or ball joints that
are ready to break.
OK.
You can guarantee that won't happen if you rent a car.
Right.
OK.
Rent a car.
OK.
See ya.
Thanks.
Good luck.
All right, Tommy, do you remember the last millennium?
Give me a hint.
Well, let me see.
It included like the Dark Ages, the Renaissance.
It's coming back to me.
Yeah, a few World Wars.
That millennium!
Aha!
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Hi, we're back.
You're listening to Car Talk with us, Click and Clack, the Tapper Brothers, and we're
here to talk about cars, car repair, and our nominations for the worst cars of the millennium.
All right.
We decided we're sick of all these lists of best sports figures of the millennium, best
soft cheese of the millennium, best millennial lists of the millennium.
So we, with your help, are going to create a worst of list, the worst cars of the millennium.
And we have some nominations here to get the ball rolling.
It's by no means a complete list, and we should mention that we're only nominating cars we've
actually driven and maybe even worked on.
We've never driven Ben Hur's chariot, so it's not on the list.
So after we share our list, we're going to ask you to go to our website and nominate
or second the nomination of your worst car of the millennium, and then we'll ask everybody
to vote on the top 10 worst cars or the top bottom best cars.
The top bottom.
The bottom 10 best cars.
And at the moment, we don't have them prioritized here, but we're going to give you a few of
our nominations, for example, the Chevy Vega.
I remember it well.
Ah, yes.
What was it lacking?
Let's see, body integrity, reliability, fit and finish, handling, all those things.
All those things.
Safety.
Here's one of my personal favorites, the Dodge Aspen Slash Plymouth Velary.
Oh, man.
I don't know where this car really fit into Chrysler.
Giant plan.
Well, it was an afterthought.
I mean, I think they were attempting to do something about...
Get this, they were trying to improve the dart.
How could you improve the perfect car?
You couldn't improve the perfect car.
And they went downhill.
And they made a car that they began to rust in the showroom and it would only run at 74
degrees dry weather sea level.
Any deviation from those conditions and the things spotted installed, it was horrendous.
And we hated it.
Here's another one.
Chevy Citation and all of its brethren, the old Omega, Pontiac, Phoenix.
I hated those cars.
Those are Buick Century.
Yeah.
I mean, that was a front wheel drive.
Front wheel drive, rear brake lock up.
You step on the brakes and the rear wheels locked up.
And everyone remembers these cars because you couldn't steer them when you first started
them in the morning.
You turn the wheel and they would go...
Yeah.
Other than that, it was perfect.
What do you want?
But it was their first foray into front wheel drive.
So we got to cut them a little slack.
There was the Chevy Chevette.
That was a slap together kind of car.
I mean, and don't forget too, this was the era when they were trying to compete against
the Japanese who had sort of told America, here's how you make a car.
And it only costs 3,000 bucks, 4,000 bucks.
And by 1975, the Japanese were making some pretty good cars and we were still making
the Chevette.
Well, because they were used to making Chevy Impalas.
And someone said, how are we going to compete with our 5,000 pound Impala with this 2,000
pound Toyota?
Just cut everything down.
And make it as cheap as possible, make them the metal half as thick.
And make sure that you can't get the starter motor out at all costs.
So the Chevy Chevette is one of the great ones.
And then we have certain cars, like the one I'm going to mention that are in a class by
themselves, the Hugo.
Well, it was an interesting little experiment to see if the second world could enter the
car industry.
Well, it was interesting because the Hugo was the offspring of the Fiat 128.
Oh, yeah, which was a great car.
That was another piece of junk.
Those rusted on the boats on the way over.
What else do we have on the list?
The Chevy Corvair.
And the Corvair provided a unique opportunity to breathe.
You're ready for this gasoline vapors from the leaking gas tank in the front and oil
vapors from the leaking engine in the rear.
All at the same time, it was that commingling of the vapors.
That was maybe the first time that anyone had been able to do that.
And that rendered most of the Corvair owner's brain dead within six months.
And that's why they're all going to be writing to us tomorrow, saying, how can you possibly
put the Corvair on the worst, one of the best cars ever made?
Because they're crazy.
One of my favorites, favorite worst because I owned one was Renault.
I mean, I remember when I was looking for a car, it was way, way longer go.
And I had a choice of buying the only things I could afford were a VW and a Renault Dauphine.
Should have bought the VW.
And the Renault Dauphine was about half the price of a VW, which was half the price of
everything else.
Half the pieces.
Half as many pieces.
And when I got through it, it had even less than that.
But that was a real, real piece of junk.
I might vote for that for number one.
And you couldn't get the start of motor out of that one either if I remember.
We got the Maverick, the Subaru Justi.
That's enough.
We don't have to say any more about that.
And the Volkswagen bus, I mean, is romanticized as it has been.
It was a vehicle that had no heat, no handling, no power, blew over in the wind, no power,
and used the driver's front legs as its first line of defense, and it had on collision.
But at least it had something.
It had pizzazz.
It had pizzazz.
It had pizzazz.
Some cars have nothing.
Yeah.
It had pizzazz, and that was it.
We didn't get a lot of flack about that one.
But pizzazz couldn't get you across the Rockies as many people found out.
Anyway, if you want to second any of these nominations or make a nomination of your own,
just head over to our website, which is the cartalksection of cars.com, and tell us the
car and the reason for your nomination.
Or reasons.
Sure, reasons.
And in a few weeks, we'll sort out the finalists and invite everyone to vote.
So that like February, we'll have the list of the worst cars of the millennium.
Huh?
Anyway, to add insult to injury in the third half of car talk today, we'll be handing out
some Lifetime Achievement Awards to car manufacturers.
So make sure you stay tuned for that.
In the meantime, you can call us and ask any question you want about your car or anything
else.
The number is 1-888-CARTALK.
That's 1-888-227-8255, a lawyer on car talk.
Hi, this is Jim from Boca Raton.
Jim!
How you doing, guys?
That's what Jerry Seinfeld's parents moved to.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'm from a pure part of the country.
I was born in Lynn.
Oh, Lynn?
Lynn's in.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
Cool.
So what is it with Lynn?
I don't know.
It's been taking a beating over the years.
So you escaped and you're now living in Boca Raton.
What do you do down there?
I import, export, rum.
No kidding.
At night?
No, no.
Not anymore.
I used to do that, but we're up on the up and up now, yeah, really.
Now you are.
But I got a problem.
Yeah.
I got a problem with my Ford Lehman diesel engine.
In a boat, right?
Yeah.
Well, it's a truck engine modified to be in a boat.
And it's the boat that you used to make those runs to Cuba.
Well, I want to know if I should be making any more runs.
Okay.
What does it do?
I got what they call piston flap.
Oh.
Yeah.
How big is this engine?
It's a big block six, 6.2 liter, 120.
It's a big engine, but as you say, they just modified the thing to go into a boat.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's a truck engine, but I got piston flap in number six.
How do you know?
Oh, you can hear it.
So it makes a loud clicking noise in the engine when it's running.
If I know it might not be piston slap, it could be a bad wrist pin, but in any case,
go ahead.
My mechanic came down and he's a diesel guy and he says he got piston slap.
Okay.
Then he says it could last three weeks, it could last three years.
I was wondering what is the piston slap exactly if that's what it is?
And number two, how long will it last or maybe and when is the engine going to go and
why does it go?
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
All very good questions.
Yeah.
Because I'm going to go to Bahamas next weekend and I want to know whether I should go.
Not with that boat.
You're not.
Right.
What piston slap is, is when the piston skirt is slapping against the cylinder wall because
the cylinder has gotten enlarged or the piston has worn out.
All right.
I mean, the piston, as you know, is a very, very tight fit.
Right.
It's supposed to be in the cylinder.
So it goes straight up and down, straight up and down, straight up and down.
And the only way it can slap is if the hole that it's in has gotten bigger or the piston
has gotten smaller.
Yeah.
Either of which happens with wear.
And that often occurs if a chunk of the piston, for example, gets worn away at the top so
that the thing is now unbalanced and it begins to lean to one side as the combustion gases
are pushing it down.
So then it'll wear away one side of the cylinder wall and then as the thing goes up and down,
it'll slap against us.
You'll get.
Exactly.
And do you hear it the most when you first start it up?
It has the piston and it's expands and fills the space a little bit better.
It gets a little quieter.
So you could try filling that space.
Well, there are various precautions.
Anything that says miraculous on it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Or fast setting.
I mean, it's bad enough to get broken down on the interstate.
Yeah, right.
Right.
But in international waters with 5,000 bottles of contraband rum.
Yeah, really.
But so it looks bad.
Well, what will happen eventually is the piston will probably break.
Oh, really?
Yeah.
Piece of the skirt will break off and then the thing will be like crazy.
Yeah.
And then you'll have to shut it down because you'll be afraid that the bolt will shake
itself to smithereens.
Yeah.
See, the thing is, it's already given you the warning.
It's not going to give you any more warning until it's time to shut it down and float
with a little flag up, saying, haha.
Is it an engine shot, right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
I wouldn't go out in the water with this at all.
Oh, really?
Here's what you should do.
I mean, if the rum business is good enough, you should get yourself another engine, even
a used one.
Yeah, right.
And slap it in there.
No pun intended.
Yeah, I hear you.
Yeah.
And rebuild this one.
You can't just do the cylinder.
The one piston, you have to do them all, right?
Oh, I would do them all.
If you're going to have to yank the engine out anyway, you know, likely...
You have to take the whole thing apart to do this.
So this is a rebuild.
But you're saying that this thing could go at any time, then, eh?
Yes.
It could, but it's unlikely to go tomorrow.
Right, right.
But I don't underestimate the possibility that your mechanic is wrong and is diagnosis.
Yeah.
And if it is a bearing that's bad and not a piston slap, then it could go within hours.
And then when it goes, the piston's going to probably come right through the block.
Oh, yeah.
So I would stay near the front of the boat, Jim.
I'm going to stay in the upper helm station.
I don't want that to get there.
Do whatever you do.
Don't stand on the deck above the engine.
See you later, man.
Okay, thank you.
Good luck.
Appreciate it.
Bye-bye.
All right, it's time to take a short break.
And when we come back, my brother and I will give out Lifetime Achievement Awards for
achievements such as degenerative ugliness, smoke and mirrors, inappropriate product strategy,
and much, much more.
So if you work in the legal department of a major car company, we invite you to turn
the radio off right now.
But for the rest of you, we'll be back in a minute.
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We're back.
You're listening to Car Talk with us.
Click and Clack the Tapper Brothers and we're here to discuss cars, car repair and our Lifetime
Achievement Awards.
It was appropriate at the end of the millennium here to give some awards to companies and
people who have achieved certain kinds of things.
Yes.
We have here, number one, the Lifetime Achievement Award for Degenerative Ugliness.
And the winner is the envelope, please.
The winner is Ford Motor Company for the Thunderbird.
Now, in 1956, they had probably the most perfect, beautiful car you could ever make.
I mean, it was fabuloso.
It was.
And over the course of the 50s, and especially the 60s, and worse in the 70s, and the 80s,
they turned that car into the ugliest piece of nothing.
I mean, it had everything, character, beauty, charm, pizzazz, pizzazz.
And they killed it.
Well, they had to kill it.
They had to kill it.
Yeah, it was the only merciful thing to do.
But they're starting all over again in the new Thunderbird.
The 2000 Thunderbird is beautiful.
And what does it look like?
The 56 Thunderbird.
Come on.
Well, someone must have said da.
So, for screwing up for 40 years, Ford gets the Lifetime Achievement Award for Degenerative
Ugliness.
Now, next on the list, the Lifetime Achievement Award for Product Strategy.
And this goes to the American Motors Corporation, the Pacer.
Yes.
This was aerodynamically ugly 15 years before its time.
The Concord, four-wheel drive, ugly hybrid car slash wagon, 20 years too early.
Yep.
The Metropolitan, ugly, but 30 miles to the gallon in 1959 when gas was four cents again.
What were they thinking?
And then when the Arab oil and bower came 20 years later, they made the Matador, a huge
Hulk with a V8, and ugly to boot.
Then just as the French were taking their last gasp on American soil, AMC introduced
the Alliance made by Renault.
And what?
Ugly.
The Lifetime Achievement Award for Smoke and Mirrors goes to who else but Lee Iacocca.
Indeed.
For the entire decade of the 80s, Iacocca's Chrysler Corporation made one car, the K-Car.
They called it the Aries.
Oh, they're reliant.
They put a bunch of different bodies on it.
Like they put a huge cardboard box on it, and they called it a minivan, which was good.
Iacocca had people thinking that Chrysler made seven or eight different cars.
It was one car.
He did the same thing when he worked for Ford.
His first foray into the smoke and mirrors arena was the Mustang, a great car.
What was it?
A Ford Falcon.
He saw the way that sold, and he said, hey, I can make a career out of this.
And he did.
He did indeed.
And he...
Good for you, Lee.
Good for you.
And he gets the award.
Now, the Lifetime Achievement Award for Smoke without mirrors goes to General Motors in
the 80s.
They also made one car.
I mean, they made a bunch of cars, but they made one car, but they did give it four or
five different names.
But they weren't as clever as Iacocca, so everyone knew that a Chevy was the same as
a Buick, was the same as an Oldsmobile, was the same as a Pontiac.
Yeah, because they didn't go far enough.
They didn't disguise it enough.
That's what was the brilliance of Lee Iacocca.
If you looked at a Ford Falcon and a Ford Mustang, they were two different cars.
And what GM did was they tried to really cheap out and put like the same car with a different
tail light.
That's not a Chevy.
It's a Pontiac.
Don't you see the tail light?
Continue.
Well, the Lifetime Achievement Award for Most Persistent, Unacknowledged Malfunction.
Otherwise known as the Ostrich Award, GM PSS, General Motors Power Steering Syndrome.
For about a dozen years, and it was a dozen years or so, the steering racks on General
Motors cars would refuse to turn to the right in cold weather.
All left.
And GM, in a demonstration of incredible persistence and sticktortiveness, for a dozen years said
steering problem, what steering problem?
They denied it over and over again.
That was unconscionable.
So they get the Ostrich Award.
The Lifetime Achievement Award for Increased Manageability goes to Roger Smith, my man.
For reducing GM's market share from an unwieldy, unwieldy, you're going to admit, 50% down
to a manageable 29%.
Good work, Roger.
And the Lifetime Achievement Award for Denial, and this is a mystery to me, Volvo, Swedish
cars that you can't drive in the snow.
I mean, how did they get away with that for so many years, but they have won our Lifetime
Achievement Award in the Denial Department?
So anyway, those are our Lifetime Achievement Awards for the second millennium.
And remember, if you'd like to nominate a vehicle for our list of worst cars of the
millennium, just head over to our website, the cartalksectionofcars.com, and we'd love
to hear your nominations.
In the meantime, we'd love to have you call us to number 1-888-CAR-TALK, that's 8-882-278-255.
Hello, you're on Car Talk.
Hi, this is Molly from just north of Cincinnati.
Molly, that's a name you don't hear much anymore.
Really?
Yeah.
There are a couple of us out here.
God, I don't think I've ever met anyone named Molly.
How many T's in Cincinnati?
Oh, come on.
One.
Just one.
A lot of N's though, right?
Not the way I spelled it.
It's got three N's though, right?
Yes.
Okay.
You're so smart.
No, I'm not.
I had two T's.
And they weren't at the end either.
They were in the middle somewhere.
So what's up, Molly?
I drive a 98 Toyota Sienna and I have two young children.
I am trying to get my dissertation done.
And whenever the children are asleep in the car, if my husband is with me and we're out
running errands, I send him in, he goes in, does whatever the errand is with one of the
kids and I stay in the car and leave it running and get some work done.
Yeah.
We're just wondering what kind of wear and tear we're causing on our car.
Well, why do you keep the engine running so that the heat and all the air conditioning
will stay running?
Heck, yeah.
If I'm in there doing work, I would hate to be uncomfortable.
Yeah.
So there would be times, for example, in the spring or fall where you could actually turn
the car off.
Yeah.
You could, but you wouldn't.
We could.
And the question is, how much wear and tear are you putting on the engine?
Yeah.
Am I making this car old before it's time?
Well, yes.
But every time you use the car, you're doing that.
Right.
How many years do you think it's going to be before you finish your dissertation?
Oh my gosh, it may be forever.
What's your dissertation topic?
Oh, God.
Come on, spill the beans.
Come on, we can help you on this.
Well, what's your field?
Give us the field.
The field is Higher Education Administration.
Oh my God.
Higher Education Administration.
Oh, well, this is going to be a...
And so when you sit there in the car, you've got a little yellow pad in your writing chapters
like crazy.
I'm always doing it.
I've got my data with me.
I carry everything with me wherever we go.
Well, the dissertation is far more important than the stupid car.
Don't you think?
And the truth is that you're really not in a 45 minutes here in the Army.
Just think of all the police cars that are parked in front of the donut shops all over
America.
That is so true.
And they never turn the engines off and they run forever and ever, so I don't think you're
doing any harm.
Good.
That makes me feel better because my husband and I debate this all the time.
Don't worry about it.
Okay.
It's nothing.
That gives...that frees up my worry space in my brain now I can worry about something
else.
Yeah.
And you need to do that because you have important work to do here, Molly.
That's right.
Chapter six.
Yeah.
Out of how many?
Six.
How many pages are you up to now?
Oh gosh.
You know, I think I'm...I'm nearing 200.
Oh, you're almost done.
You're there.
You're there.
You'll be done in a week.
Oh man.
Good luck to you.
You do a real good job on the first five chapters.
They may not even read chapter six.
Good luck, Molly.
Thanks, guys.
See you later.
Bye-bye.
All righty.
Bye-bye.
One, eight, eight, eight.
Car talk.
That's eight, eight, eight.
Two, two, seven, eight, two, five, five.
Hello.
You're on car talk.
Hi guys.
Hi.
Hi.
This is my name's Eddie.
I'm from Tilton, New Hampshire.
T-I-L-T-I-N?
Like the Tilton Hilton?
No, like T-I-L-T-O-N.
Oh, okay.
And what I have is a 1985 Ford F-150 pickup.
You didn't have to tell us you had a pickup.
You said you were from New Hampshire.
All you have to say is Ford and we didn't know.
Oh, okay.
Well, it will start and run fine and then the next day I get in it and I turn the key
and I get nothing.
I mean, I'm lucky to get a battery light sorry and come on or it's like the battery's gone.
Yeah.
I checked the battery and it wasn't in the greatest of shape and I put a new battery
in and the same thing.
It would start and run fine and a couple of days later, nothing.
So I cleaned all the terminals, the hookups as far as I could find, you know, to the
starter, to the ground, to the solenoid.
I even took the solenoid out and had that tested and a mechanic told me that it was
good and I put it back in and cleaned those terminals and the ground to the firewall and
on and put that back in.
And again, it wouldn't start.
You turn the key and nothing happens.
That's right.
But sometimes the lights on the dash light up.
Just one light, the brake light.
Does anything else work?
Have you tried the wipers, the lights, the radio?
They all work.
And then how do you get it started when that happens?
I jump it from the positive terminal of the battery to the positive side of the solenoid
with a jumper cable and it turns right over and starts up.
Okay.
So we know that the battery's good.
Oh, so the battery's fine.
The starter is good.
Yep.
We know the alternator's good.
And that's why you replace the solenoid.
Good thinking, fast Eddie.
This is an automatic transmission truck?
Yes, it is.
Ha!
How did I know that?
I know how you knew that.
How did you know that?
Let me just make sure that it doesn't click, it doesn't do anything.
Well, when I have the older battery in there and I would start it, the solenoid starter
would click away and then it would start.
Okay.
Yeah.
But now when it doesn't start, you hear nothing.
Is that true?
True.
Then my brother's right.
You have an automatic transmission.
You have an automatic transmission.
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
I have not checked it. It sounds like a classic case of a neutral safety switch because you're simply not getting juice
From this battery to the starter. The solenoid was a possibility a good possibility
But if you replace that and it's still doing the same thing, but you jump it and you tested it, right?
Yeah
What you've got to determine now is when you turn the key to the crank position if juice is getting to the skinny
Wire on the solenoid if the solenoid is getting energized because it's either in this case the neutral safety switch or the
Ignition switch itself. Okay, but it's the neutral safety switch
I believe but if I get powered to the solenoid to that thin wire when you when you're in the crank mode then yeah
When I'm when I have the key turned over that means it's not the ignition switch and it's not the neutral safety switch and in that case
It's the solenoid. It's the solenoid. Yeah, the solenoid only cost seven bucks. You might as well try one of those first
All right, maybe or if you really trust yourself you can bypass the neutral
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no very dangerous thing to do, but in New Hampshire, you'll find anyone to do that
Said that that was cruel
Wasn't unwarranted, but it was cruel
See you Eddie. Hey, good luck. Bye
Well, it's happened again, you squandered another perfectly good millennium listening
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And our chief counsel from the law firm of Dewey Chinaman. How is you Louis Dewey known to the frozen pedestrians in Harvard Square?
As you eat Louis Dewey, thanks so much for listening
We're clicking clack the tablet brothers and don't drive like my brother and don't drive like my brother. Happy millennium
We'll be back next week. Bye. Bye
And now a special appearance by Kartalk Plaza's chief mechanic mr. Vinnie Glebatz
Now, thank you very much now if yous want a copy of this here show, which is number
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That's why show number one was starting all over just pick up your phone and call this number one eight eight eight
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About this episode
The Tappet Brothers reflect on the automotive landscape as they enter the new millennium, discussing past predictions and making new ones about car manufacturers. They share humorous insights on the worst cars of the millennium, nominating models like the Chevy Vega and Dodge Aspen for their lack of reliability and design. Listeners call in with car troubles, leading to entertaining and informative advice. The episode blends nostalgia with comedic banter, making it a lively exploration of automotive history and personal anecdotes.
Jim is a rum distributor in Florida who’s having trouble with his boat engine. Probably needs to squeeze a few more horsepower out of it in order to evade the Coast Guard! Click and Clack the bootleggers try to help on this episode of the Best of Car Talk.
