To be perfectly honest 'NPR' has never been my cup of tea ... but there are genuine .

[fredaevans]

exceptions. These two fellows (Car Talk) would be at the head of that short list.

Been listening to these Guys for close to half my life?

Hosts of 'Car Talk' to Retire After 35 Years of Automotive Banter - NYTimes.com

[Hardyreels]

I heard that last night Fred. You know, I tried to reach them a few years back. I had a problem with my old Ford truck that I could not figure out. I am not much of a Saturday listener but when I would be on the road I listened the the Tappet Bros.

The thing that always got to me was that 90% of the callers had some old exotic or at least strange model of car. There were few things that I could use given in the answers other than some levity at times.

Ard

[fredaevans]

Ard, we 'Agree to disagree' save for this .... "... other than some levity at times."

After about 1995 (07?) every car/truck had so damned much in the way of 'plug ins,' save for a $10,000 shop machine you were 'toast.'

So much for the 'Shade Tree Meick-A-Nick. Well, I might leave Diesel Engines out of that one. Doesn't work? Three choices: It's not getting fuel; It's not getting air; or something really is broken.

Start with first, work for the second and hope like hell it's not the third.

[Mnflyfish]

back in the day you could rip out and swap motor,tranny in a afternoon and a 12 pack. Now days i lift the hood...look around a bit, shut the hood and call the shop!