A benefit of owning a Yugo? You can bring it in at night. In... to the living room!
Jeannie Gainsburg , New York -
A heating/cooling question. Her car smells of maple syrup. Usually happens when car is cold she rives about 1/2 mile, and comes to a stop. Then smell goes away. Tom and Ray are sure the smell is anti-freeze, meaning it's leaking somewhere. Ray thinks it's leaking through the head gasket, and suggests she get a head gasket test.
Russell Neill , Connecticut -
A clutch question. It's an hydraulic clutch, and the pedal feels saggy, worse in warmer weather--just drove car to Florida, and problem was worse there. Has to pump pedal several times to get it to release. Tom and Ray say it's his master cylinder, needs to be replaced, but are much more interested in getting advice on driving to Florida from New England.
Kristopher , Maryland -
A heating/relationship question. His girlfriend won't turn on the heat in car because she thinks it uses too much gas, like the AC. Is she right? No, she's wrong. heat operates differently from AC, but she learned this from her father, so Kris might have a hard time convincing her she's nuts.
Heather Whitehouse , Michigan -
A question about a noise. When she hits a pothole or goes over rough train tracks, she hears a plastic popping noise, she thinks it's coming from the dash. Ray thinks it's coming from tire--piece of inner fender liner hitting tire when she goes over bumps. Tom thinks this is bogus, but Ray suggests she gets the car put on the lift and ask them to see for signs of tire hitting liner.
Gaelen Burns Athens, Georgia - 1998 Audi A4
Stump the Chumps. Car sputters, he thinks it began happening after Dad drove the car and put regular gas in, instead of premium. But, problem is worse when it rains, so Tom and Ray said it was bad spark plug wires. Right answer!
Mandy Brown , Massachusetts -
A dump/keep/safety question. Her fiance thinks the car is a death trap, but she loves it and wants to keep it. She only uses it for city driving, not commuting, and she and her Dad check regularly for rust. Can she keep it? Tom and Ray say it's not the safest car, but given the way she uses it, she can keep it.
Patricia Knizeski , Connecticut -
A question about a smell. She hit a skunk while driving to work, and can't get rid of the smell. Went to car wash, one guy said they'd get rid of it for 25 bucks, but smell is still there. Ray thinks a piece of skunk may still be on the car--take it someplace where they can put it on a lift and check underneath.
Eric Minneapolis, Minnesota -
A parking and ethics question. On a windy day, their car door flew open and dinged the door molding on an SUV parked next to them. Didn't do anything, but what are the ethics? Tom says he should leave a note. Ray says it's not really his fault.