Dear Tom and Ray:

My wife has a 1996 Toyota Camry. A great car, of course, but she's doing something I believe is going to lead to premature replacement of her automatic transmission. As she drives at a steady speed (say 70 on the highway), she constantly taps the gas pedal. In fact, it's like she's playing a tune on the thing (usually "Marching to Georgia"). As I watch the tachometer, the needle repeatedly "pops" up a few hundred rpm. In addition to making me carsick, I claim this is damaging the transmission. She says I'm full of it. Am I? -- William

Ray: Are you full of it? Probably, William. Most guys are. But in this case, you certainly are.

Tom: The transmission couldn't care less if she revs the engine like that. Even if she plays "The Barber of Seville" with her foot on the gas pedal, it won't affect the longevity of the transmission. It's the upholstery she should be worried about; she's making you carsick!

Ray: Actually, I should point out that when we drove a Toyota Avalon recently (which shares a drive train with the V6 Camry), I noticed it was very difficult to keep the car at an exact highway speed. And I found the car "jerked" slower and faster as I tried to keep the speed constant. Not enough to send the tachometer "a few hundred rpm," but enough so that you could see the needle move. It may have just been a problem with the car we were testing, but your car may have the same problem.

Tom: So ask her to try an experiment. Go out on the highway and ask her to keep the speed absolutely constant. If she can do it, then you'll know it's just a behavioral problem. Then you'll either get her to cut it out, or you'll buy yourself a family size jug of Dramamine.

Ray: But if she can't keep the car comfortably at a steady highway speed, you should ask your dealer to take a look at it. Good luck, you two lovebirds.

To buy or not to buy -- options, that is. Are options worth what you pay for them, or are you better off just going with the basics? Order Tom and Ray's pamphlet "Should I Buy, Lease, or Steal My Next Car?" to find out. To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1998 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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