#2581: Hapless Hubby or Hero?

The Best of Car Talk

NPR

Comedy, Automotive, Leisure

4.8 • 16.1K Ratings

🗓️ 11 October 2025

⏱️ 36 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Amy’s husband went out and bought a jalopy that needed a new rack and pinion that he was sure he could install. And he did! But Amy is beside herself with worry that her previously klutzy beau is going to start buying more junkers to fix. A spirited defense of amateur driveway mechanics on this episode of the Best of Car Talk.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	In the U.S., national security news can feel far away from daily life.
0:05.0	Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors.
0:09.5	On our new show, Sources and Methods.
0:11.5	NPR reporters on the ground bring you stories of real people,
0:15.3	helping you understand why distant events matter here at home.
0:18.8	Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
0:43.2	Hello and welcome to Car Talk from National Public Radio with us,
0:49.6	Click and Clack to Tapit Brothers, and we're broadcasting this week from the Center for Irresistible Targets here at Car Talk Plaza.
0:50.7	Now, you know... Well, irresistible targets means we couldn't help ourselves.
0:52.7	Couldn't help ourselves.
0:53.7	Exactly.
0:54.3	You know, sometimes someone is not only bending over,
0:56.7	but they're also wearing the sign that says, kick me hard.
1:00.3	Well, this happened to be the case with Ford Motor Company.
1:03.3	Ford has just introduced a brand new vehicle, the Ford Excursion.
1:09.0	Now, its claim to fame is that it's bigger than any other sport utility on the road.
1:13.8	In fact, it is a curb weight, depending upon the engine you get, of somewhere around 7,000 pounds.
1:20.3	That's without the people.
1:22.2	Without the people.
1:23.1	And it's got a gross vehicle weight of up to 9,200 pounds with the people.
1:27.4	It seats 9.
1:28.8	It's 19 feet long, and it has what Ford describes as a commanding road presence.
	...

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