The Department of Mergers and Acquisitions. If GM and Chrysler merge, what will their cars be called? Tom and Ray speculate on some possibilities.
Melinda Harper Meridian, Idaho - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
A suspension/ shocks question. It makes a terrible squeaking noise riding down the road. It squeaks and squeaks. It's a ball joint, and it could break, and the wheel will nearly fall off. Could also be a tie-rod end. Needs to be fixed soon? It's a safety issue
Aaron Crespo Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - 2002 Ford Ranger
A body question. He was driving to work, he hit a pole, and broke the side-view mirror. Dealership says they need to replace the entire console, not just the glass. Is there any reason that he can't just replace the glass himself? He can try it himself. If he screws it up, just bring it in in pieces, and they'll fix it. Price they quoted him is cheap.
Jessica Abt Orlando, Florida - 1991 Mazda Miata MX-5
A dump/keep/buying question. Her grandmother is old and can't drive anymore. She has a gold 97 Toyota Camry, "the Grandma Mobile", which has 40k on it. Grandma wants to sell her the car. Which one will be better for the long haul, monetarily? She should keep the Miata. The Camry says, "Grandma!" Finance it via grandma, sell it at a profit, and get a newer Miata or a Jeep.
Lindy Pierce , New York - Plymouth
She gets a percolating sound coming from radiator-- like the Yuban commercial. Coolant is beginning to boil. Thermostat may be sticking or a fan may not be working. Get it up to operating temperature and see if the fan comes on.
John Hood Huntsville, Alabama - 1999 Chrysler Sebring
A transmission question. It slips when he takes a hard right turn or backs down the driveway before car has fully warmed up. After that it does fine for the rest of the day. The cars has 180k on it. The transmission is probably about to die, or it could be a bad motor mount. Probably tranny--look for one at a junkyard
Tac Tacelosky Liberty, Missouri - 1988 Toyota Camry
A dump/keep/relic question. It's time to say goodbye to the car. It belonged to her father who died several years ago. What is a good way to honor him and get rid of the car? Take non-vital pieces of the car, and create a collage, with copies of the original bill of sale for all the family members.
Anne Marie Grove Seattle, Washington - 1995 Ford Mustang
Fuel question. She gets 400 miles per tank usually, now it's half that. She replaced the O2 sensors herself, and the spark plugs. Needs to get a compression test. If that's okay, it could be a bad thermostat that's not reaching operating temperature, which could dramatically cut her mileage.
Jacob Mazzullo Pacifica, California - 2007 Jeep Wrangler
A suspension/shocks question. The wheels bump wildly when he drives. If he slows down, it stops. Very dangerous. He could have a bad tire, or he could need a heavy duty steering damper. To be safe, take it to the dealer or a shop and have them check the front end, to make sure nothing is falling off.
Shanda Bozeman, Montana - 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee
A windshield question. It slipped out about a half inch at the top lining at the gasket. Is it dangerous? Could be, take it to the dealer to get it fixed.