So it is perfectly all right to invite thousands of people with actual mechanical car repair problems to phone in to this show, and then never let them on the air? So all the thousands of people who phone in every week trying to ask them a question, and never get through: this is a fine way to treat their audience whom they depend on for their longs standing popularity?
That is like saying you are a medical doctor, and turning everyone away who has a genuine medical problem, and only treating people who have a cold. That is like a mechanic who turns away everyone who has a car repair problem and only accepts people who have a cat smwell in their cars to fix. You have no propblem with this?
What if… one day you really have a technical repair problem and you phone the show early to be sure and get on, and they cut you off in favor of ‘funny story’ which will appeal better to their audience? You won’t feel shortchanged by that, will you?
The popularity of cartalk is based upon a simple mathematical prinxciple to let one caller on the air they have to cut off 1,000;s who never get on the air. Who do they choose? Out of 1,000’s of callers: which one is allowed on the air? That is an automatic power of censorship. All power corrupts. When you are allowed to exercise this kind of power for years without any oversight: you begin thinking you are god, and you start acting like one.
The power this show has is enormous. How shows become popular: how they do it: the tactics they use: all the dirty little tricks: is what escapists don’t want to know about; behind the false front is an ugly reality.
I agree that cartalk has more callers with foul smeels than it needs, however, the often repeated noise questions involving ball joints, U joints, heat sheilds and the like may serve an important role. With schools and society generally spending less time on trade and technical skills, and almost none on physical diagnostics and wrench turning, many of us learn auto repair through trial and error and the patience of older freinds. As an example, I am a carpenter working for a non-profit organization, one hour of shop time at the local garage sets me back 6 hours of pay or more, one hour of car talk lets me forget about my headaches for an hour and revel in someone elses, with the chance to learn something useful. CarTalk also hosts this site which tonight has given me two free but invaluable answers to real mechanical problems. Thanks for the tip on the Montreal program, through streaming I can listen to both.
I hope you can recognize that for some of us, Car Talk, beer, fishing and BBQ pulled pork are among the few fun things we can afford to look forward to in a weekend. I too would love it if Bill Moyers would do the line up of Chilton’s Manuals as books on tape, but I would be thrilled if my Tom Tom GPS could map my engine as it does the roadways. Thank you for making us all think critically about why we love this silly show, and for the love of god, don’t drive like my mother.
You don’t have to spend 5 years studying to figure out how to work on a car. I had a 93 civic I worked on for 6 years. Very little of any of the work done to it was not by me. How did I accomplish this feat? I went out and BOUGHT a repair manual and tools. I then applied the knowledge I learned from that manual (and this forum-Thanks guys) and spent time getting my hands dirty. I now own a 2002 s10… What did I do? I spent $140 on the factory service manual.
No one is saying it’s always a piece of cake, and why should someone force you to be interested in auto mechanics. That being said there is a plague in this country involving people who don’t read the owners manual (provided by the manufacturer BTW) and think maintenance is just changing your oil.
Lighten up a bit and enjoy the show for what it is… ENTERTAINMENT.
None of you get it… it is possible to educate millions of people about car repair IF… IF the questions and answers are the real technical problems which most americans have when something goes wrong with their car. Chances are they will be answering many many other people who have the same problem with their car. But they don’t do that: they steer clear of all actual mechanical-technical problems anymore complicated than a 57 chevy might have.
Instead of a jokefest: this show could potentially educate people about electronic and mechanical problems. I prefer to LEARN something than hear silly stories about somebody’s cat. I fixed all of my own mechanical problems because I took motor mechanic in high school and I owned a 77 blazer and drove it for 30 years, and I had the ten-dollar owner’s manual which had a breakdown of diagrams and explained how to assemble and dissamble every nut and bolt and circuit.
Not anymore. The car companies didn’t like people being able to fix their own cars so they made them so complex nobody understands the spaghetti they stick under the hood. Engines used to be simple. You want to learn something about modern cars, or do you want disneyland?
You are contradicting yourself: first you are buying and reading and studying a car repair manual and doing all the hard work yourself, and you sneer at people who haven’t done what you have: then you turn around and say: 'hey! a show about car repair is not supposed to educate people how to fix their car repair problems: it’s just ‘entertainment’.
You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Either you are for educating people about car repair; in which case you are on my side: or you are against anyone learning anything about repairing their own cars and let them stay ignorant andbe ripped off by the worst mechanics in the business.
Make up your mind.
I didn’t speak to how I enjoy myself, but that hasn’t kept you from making an incorrect assumption about it. If you had critical thinking skills, you would recognize that assumptions such as these are the wrong way to draw conclusions.
Let’s look at how bitter you are, and how you treat people. You don’t have to think critically to strive to do things well, but when your critical eye keeps you from enjoying things that are created purely for the sake of enjoyment, you need to lighten up.
Nobody is perfect, so if you get to know someone well enough, you will always find some fault to latch on to. When it comes to relating to people, critical thinking skills mean nothing without wisdom. You obviously haven’t learned that discretion is indeed the better part of valor.
When did Carveaholic say he read and studied the repair manual? He bought it, but most people only refer to it as needed to perform particular tasks. Most people use manuals such as these only for reference. I certainly haven’t read or studied my automotive repair manuals from cover to cover. I have only used the sections I needed at the times I needed them.
Also, Carveaholic didn’t “sneer” at anybody. He simply mentioned that many people could benefit from reading their owner’s manuals, which unlike repair manuals, really should be read from cover to cover.
Are you really comparing Tom and Ray to medical doctors? They are entertainers! They have a radio talk show that is produced for entertainment. Tom and Ray haven’t taken a sacred oath to help every person who calls them and leaves them a voice mail. That isn’t what they do, and I doubt that is what they intended to do when they started their show.
What if… one day you really have a technical repair problem and you phone the show early to be sure and get on, and they cut you off in favor of ‘funny story’ which will appeal better to their audience? You won’t feel shortchanged by that, will you?
If I really needed immediate assistance, I would either come here to this forum or another one like it. I could also turn to other sources of information. It’s nice that Tom and Ray can try to help a few people, at least as many as they can fit into the format of their show, but they haven’t promised to help every caller. Many people who call would better off with true professional help.
The show belongs to Tom and Ray, and how they choose to run it is their prerogative. You don’t have to be bitter about that. If it bothers you, exercise your discretion and listen to something you enjoy more. Being bitter and judgmental isn’t going to make a difference or serve you well in life.
Trying to diagnose a car problem over the phone without ever seeing the car has a very limited value to begin with. If you ever listen to the show’s “Stump the Chumps” segment, you know they don’t get it right 100% of the time, or even 75% of the time.
What you propose is a different kind of show, one that sounds to me like it would be pretty boring, but if you are so convinced you are right, it’s exactly what you should do. You should stop arguing with us about it and go out and do it like you think it should be done. Practice what you preach. Walk the walk. Live up to your own hype. When you do, let us know how it turns out.
This was a day that it was best not to log on, say what you will I don’t think it could get worse, I would take a week of Shakespirit over one more day of this guy.
why yes: I propose they do a show about car repair: instead of falsely advertising the show is about car repair, they should not call the show cartalk when they talk about cat smells. Let everyone who has a show on NPR do whatever they please. Let Bush rain down bombs in Afghanistan and kill inoocent children. Let anyone in power do as they please and nobody ever dare be critical of anybody. Oh by the way: when the oil hits your city from the gulf: don’t you dare be critical of BP: they have their own show, and they have every right to do it as they please… right? Nobody is allowed to be critical of anybody. Now say goodnite Gracie.
Where is the word “repair” in the name “Car Talk?” Does a show named “Coffee Talk” need to be about repairing coffee makers? Geesh! Get a grip!
Just do you know, I am quite critical of Bush and BP, but unless it is related to cars, this isn’t the place for it. If you conduct a search on this forum for the words “oil spill” and “Bush,” you will see where I have done just that.
Not only do you speak from a position of ignorance, you insist on doing it loudly! What a troll!
I do feel better hearing people’s horror stories about the terrible smell/ sound that occurs when they turn to the left. However, I have spent five months out of the last year working with poor farmers in Mozambique (who generally earn less than two dollars per day), with programs before that in Uganda and Costa Rica, and I don’t appreciate the glib commentaries on starving babies. Headaches from smells or repair bills that are inconveniently high are in no way comparable to endemic or pandemic disease outbreaks like Malaria and Cholera, or to hunger and starvation caused by drought, corruption, or political strife and warfare. The way I feel best is helping people solve real problems through the lowest cost means. Laughing at something as unimportant as a mousey aroma, or chuckling at some idiot (me) who couldn’t recognize his failing U joint is not exclusive to the wealthy, it is something of a blue collar sport.
As for the technical side of the show, T and R often discuss technical points of brake inspection, U joints, and wiring, in just enough detail that the average shade tree mechanic can find it in the Haynes manual and take it from there. I fear that you hear the show, but don’t listen. In any event, a good mechanic doesn’t need the show except for entertainment. The average driver needs more basic and general guidance than the Chilton series provides. The information you seek is available on this website, through their sponsorship.
Thank you for making my point for me. Tom and Ray leave the door open to talking about more than just car repair. Like I said, there is no need to be bitter.
For someone who seems to enjoy being critical, you don’t seem to like it when others are critical back at you. Everyone who has bothered to respond to this thread disagrees with you, but the problem is with all of us, and not you? Thanks for the laugh. How many different people need to point out the ridiculous nature of your misdirected rage before you get it?
People with real technical car repair issues would be better served with professional assistance, not two radio personalities trying to entertain people. If you think a radio talk show is the answer to your problems, you are looking in the wrong place.
uh… excuse me… but that is exactly what they purport to try to do… they try to help people with car repair issues. If you think they don’t try to do this: you need your head examined
I find this thread very entertaining, but I can’t for the life of me understand what the OP is so upset about. To paraphrase the late George Carlin: “There are 2 knobs on the radio. One of them turns the radio off, and the other one changes the station. Imagine that! You can actually change the station. Its called ‘freedom of choice’ and its one of the principles the United States was founded upon.”
If you prefer the woman in Montreal, listen to her show.
I follow the news (somewhat). Its so depressing and overwhelming. One gets the sense the human race is on the verge of self destruction, but don’t worry. This planet will heal itself after we’re gone and a thousand years from now it will be as if humans never existed, but I digress.
Life is stressful and frustrating, and everyone needs relaxation and entertainment. Some people watch sports, some watch sit-coms or movies, some go fishing, and some of us listen to “Cartalk”. If you don’t like the show, then don’t listen to it. If they discussed technical matters in depth, then it wouldn’t be entertaining.
P.S.- They do dispense some useful information from time to time. Many times I have heard them tell someone their car is unsafe to drive (usually a ball-joint or CV axle issue or a fuel leak) and I think to myself, ‘hey, if my car starts doing that I’d better get it to my mechanic now!’
wrong: I enjoy the show when they have a caller with a genuine difficult repair problem… which they have tried to diagnose or fix and failed. I enjoy the show when these two put their minds in gear and ask pertinent questions and come up with the right answer and the right diagnosis… I enjoy the show when they actually HELP somebody who needs help. This is the only reason this show was ever positive and successful in the first place. Unfortunately they have watered it down to such an extent that any help they dispense could be given by a chimpanzee. I enjoy the show when I can learn somehing I didn’t know before: not the same old tired silliniess that has nothing to do with cars or car repair, Squabbles between spouses about their car should be weeded out of the show instead of being the star attraction… unless they can help, and the divorce rate of one of them does not bode well for any advice they might give on that subject. The show is supposed to be about helping people. That’s why they had fun in the first place: when you help people, you feel good about yourself and you have fun doing it. Now that fun has been watered down so much: they don’t help anyone who needs help: they only help people who don’t need any help. They only help rich lawyres who can’t decide which of their two cars to give up.
This one reason you americans are so spiritually sick and in need of a heart transplant. Refusing to pass the healthcare bill, refusing to help those in need is what you americans are famous for. America has not paid its U.N. dues in over 30 years because they refuse to help all of the UNICEF programs for needy children. You refuse to help your own sick. You are the only qwestern nation that has no healthcare for all of its citizens. Cartalk was a rare exception… but it only helped people who are rich enough to afford to buy a car, and they only help the car: they don’t help people: now they don’t even do that, they don’t even help to fix car repair problems… just the smell in the car, and even that they can’t fix.
As far as your fantasy that the thouands of tons of nuclear waste created by we humans will disaoppear in 1,000 years after we are gone… that is a another self-indulgent fantasy you are clinging to.