Digest

Tom and Ray, the hosts of Car Talk, announce their candidacy for President on the UBTP party ticket, the "Unencumbered by the Thought Process" party. They explain their nomination process, which involves drawing names from a hat, and their campaign slogan: "Tom and Ray, 96, Unencumbered by the Thought Process." They then take calls from listeners, including one from Jamie who wants to destroy his 1988 Hyundai Excel and another from Mary who has a lawnmower with a bent crankshaft. They also answer a call from Jeff, who is having trouble with his bread maker due to the altitude change after moving from New Orleans to New Mexico. The show ends with a reminder that the Car Talk puzzle is on summer vacation and a segment of Stump the Chumps, where they revisit a previous caller and offer advice.

Outlines

00:00:00

Announcement of Candidacy

This Chapter introduces Tom and Ray's decision to run for President on the UBTP party ticket. They explain their nomination process, which involves drawing names from a hat, and their campaign slogan: "Tom and Ray, 96, Unencumbered by the Thought Process."

00:03:11

Car Talk Calls

This Chapter features calls from listeners seeking car advice. Jamie wants to destroy his 1988 Hyundai Excel, and Mary has a lawnmower with a bent crankshaft. Tom and Ray offer advice on how to destroy the car and how to fix the lawnmower.

00:25:14

Stump the Chumps

This Chapter features a segment called "Stump the Chumps," where Tom and Ray revisit a previous caller, Jeff, who had called about his bread maker. They offer advice on how to fix the bread maker, which is having trouble due to the altitude change after Jeff moved from New Orleans to New Mexico.

Keywords

Q&A

• What is the UBTP party and what is their campaign slogan?

  The UBTP party is the "Unencumbered by the Thought Process" party, a fictional political party created by Tom and Ray for comedic purposes. Their campaign slogan is "Tom and Ray, 96, Unencumbered by the Thought Process."

• What is the problem with Jamie's Hyundai Excel and how does he plan to destroy it?

  Jamie wants to destroy his 1988 Hyundai Excel because it is old and he wants a new Jeep Wrangler. He has tried various methods to destroy it, including driving it at high speeds and hitting speed bumps, but it has proven to be very durable. Tom and Ray suggest that he drive it in second gear at high speeds to overheat the engine.

• What is the problem with Mary's lawnmower and how can she fix it?

  Mary's lawnmower has a bent crankshaft, which means the engine needs to be replaced. Tom and Ray suggest that she find a used engine at a landfill or order a new one from Sears.

• What is the problem with Jeff's bread maker and how can he fix it?

  Jeff's bread maker is making hockey puck-shaped bread due to the altitude change after he moved from New Orleans to New Mexico. Tom and Ray suggest that the problem may be related to the flour being too dry and recommend adding more liquid to the dough.

Show Notes