Digest

The podcast opens with a discussion about the IRS and charitable deductions. The hosts argue that items with the "Car Talk" logo are of "insubstantial value" and therefore don't affect deductions. They present evidence from listeners supporting their claim. A listener from Kentucky calls in to discuss his car dying after driving through a flooded road. The hosts debate the cause of the car's failure, with one suggesting water being sucked into the engine through the tailpipe. The hosts present a new puzzler: what do Ulysses S. Grant, Rudyard Kipling, Woodrow Wilson, Grover Cleveland, and Calvin Coolidge have in common? The answer is that they are all best known by their middle names. A listener calls in about her Toyota 4Runner's slipping clutch. She suspects her boyfriend's driving habits are to blame. The hosts diagnose the problem as a leaking rear main seal, not the boyfriend's driving. The hosts discuss a news article about a psychiatrist who billed a patient $300,000 for treating her 120 personalities. They compare this to their own car repair practices, where they might exaggerate the number of problems to increase the bill. A listener writes in about an old geezer whose car won't start after buying a specific type of ice cream. The hosts present this as a new puzzler, challenging listeners to figure out the connection between ice cream and car trouble. A listener calls in about her car tire catching fire while driving down a snowy mountain road. The hosts speculate that a stuck brake caliper caused the fire and the unusual handling. The hosts wrap up the show with credits and a reminder to not drive like their brother. They also promote their website and merchandise.

Outlines

00:00:00

Car Talk: IRS Debate, Flooded Engine, and Puzzlers

The episode begins with a discussion about the IRS and charitable deductions, followed by a listener call about a car that died after driving through a flooded road. The hosts then present a puzzler about famous middle names.

00:14:07

Car Talk: Clutch Problems, Multiple Personalities, and Ice Cream Puzzler

A listener calls in about her Toyota 4Runner's slipping clutch, and the hosts diagnose the problem as a leaking rear main seal. They then discuss a news article about a psychiatrist who billed a patient $300,000 for treating her 120 personalities. Finally, they present a new puzzler about a car that won't start after buying a specific type of ice cream.

00:25:28

Car Talk: Tire Fire and Outro

A listener calls in about her car tire catching fire while driving down a snowy mountain road. The hosts speculate that a stuck brake caliper caused the fire. The episode concludes with credits and a reminder to not drive like their brother.

Keywords

Q&A

• What is the hosts' argument about the IRS and charitable deductions?

  The hosts argue that items with the "Car Talk" logo are of "insubstantial value" and therefore don't affect deductions. They believe that even if a listener receives a "Car Talk" item in exchange for a donation, the value of the item is so low that it shouldn't be considered a taxable benefit.

• What is the listener's problem with his car after driving through a flooded road?

  The listener's car died after driving through a flooded road. The hosts debate the cause of the car's failure, with one suggesting water being sucked into the engine through the tailpipe.

• What is the solution to the listener's clutch problem?

  The hosts diagnose the problem as a leaking rear main seal, not the boyfriend's driving. They recommend replacing both the clutch and the rear main seal.

• What is the connection between ice cream and car trouble in the puzzler?

  The listener's car won't start after buying a specific type of ice cream. The hosts challenge listeners to figure out the connection between ice cream and car trouble.

• What is the listener's problem with her car tire?

  The listener's car tire caught fire while driving down a snowy mountain road. The hosts speculate that a stuck brake caliper caused the fire and the unusual handling.

Show Notes