Dear Tom and Ray:

My wife won't let me drive her car until I drive the way she does. Her '95 Contour is a five speed. When she is at a red light, one foot is on the clutch, the other is on the brake, and the car is in first gear. When I'm at a red light, I put the car in neutral with one foot on the brake. Which is best? My argument is that my way saves wear on the clutch and you don't take the chance of your foot slipping off the clutch. My wife says she has always driven this way and won't change. Maybe you can convince her. -- Raymond

Tom: Well, Raymond, you're absolutely right. But before you go waving this in your wife's face and demanding that she change her ways, I suggest that you think very carefully about this important question:

Ray: Would you rather be right, or happy (i.e. do you prefer your dinners cooked or uncooked for the rest of your life)?

Tom: I always choose happy ... and cooked. *** Don’t get stuck with a lemon. Read Tom and Ray’s guide, "How to Buy a Great Used Car: Things Detroit and Tokyo Don’t Want You to Know." Send $3 and a stamped (55 cents), self-addressed, No. 10 envelope to Used Car, PO Box 6420, Riverton, NJ 08077-6420. Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. © 1999 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

In their pamphlet "Should I Buy, Lease, or Steal My Next Car?" Tom and Ray break down the strategies for buying a car, so you can make the most of your money. To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1999 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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