Today: phone apps that keep your kid from driving and dialing.
Today: does revving an engine cause damage?
Dear Tom and Ray: My wife and I live out in Southern California and have some ... well, to be polite, interesting neighbors in our condo complex. One couple in particular is very proud of the Porsche 911 Carrera they're leasing. The car probably is a 2007 (about a year older than the woman's face ... the rest of her is a 1950-something). Whenever they start up this car, or before they turn it off, they make sure that they rev the engine loudly, in case we all forgot that they have a Porsche. My question is this: Can revving the engine while the car is not moving damage anything? -- Chris
Does Bill's Subaru really need a new timing belt?
Dear Tom and Ray: A few months ago, our local Subaru dealership determined that our Impreza needed a new engine, and that it would be covered by the factory warranty. Since the engine was replaced, we've put 7,000 more miles on the car. Now they say we need a timing belt. My question is, When the engine was replaced, wouldn't they have replaced the timing belt then? -- Bill
Today: A car purchase that clearly was meant to be.
Dear Tom and Ray: My grandmother once owned a 1963 Rambler. It was the only car she ever had -- my grandfather bought it for her the year I was born (the car was brand new, and so was I!). She had that car until she passed away in 1994. When we were at her house going through things and getting ready to sell the house, I went out to the garage to see the car. Much to my horror, it was GONE! My dad explained to me that she had sold the car when her health was starting to decline. Everybody loved that car -- she took immaculate care of it all those years. It really broke my heart to know that it was gone. Fast-forward a few years, when I took a new job in the same area near where my grandmother had lived. I happened to be at a car show, and in the midst of all those '57 Chevys, old T-birds, Corvettes and Mustangs, which all start to look alike pretty quickly, I saw a very familiar-looking car a couple of rows over. Sure enough, it was my grandmother's '63 Rambler! I introduced myself to the owner, and we talked quite a while. A couple of years later, I noticed he had the car for sale. Unfortunately, I was in no position to be able to buy it or care for it. Now it is for sale again! I'm trying to be as practical as I can, I don't want to make a rash decision, but I want that car -- if for no other reason than to have it back in the family again, and for the satisfaction of saving it from some unknown fate. I jokingly told the guy, "My grandfather bought it for his wife, so I'll buy it for MY wife!" He let me drive the car -- I never got so many thumbs-ups in my life! (Usually it's that other finger!) My wife is OK with this, but space is limited, and I know just enough about cars to know that I would rather pay someone else to do any major work on it. The car is in pristine condition, and I certainly would want to keep it that way. What do you think? What are the ins and outs of owning an antique car like this? It would be fun to take it to all the car shows. My sisters are trying to talk me into getting it. I'd like to think my grandparents are looking down from heaven, saying: "Buy it! Buy it!" Should I just go for it? -- Dave P.S.: All the original paperwork is with it, including a 1963 issue of Motor Trend magazine in which it was declared Motor Trend's car of the year.
Today: Tom and Ray settle an unintended-acceleration dispute.
Dear Tom and Ray: With all the news about uncontrolled acceleration, my wife has decided that she wants to be prepared in case it ever happens to her. We know the proper thing to do is shift the automatic transmission into neutral. To get practice in this maneuver, she has been slipping the car into neutral while she's driving. She'll put it in neutral while travelling at speed, and then let the car slow down a bit, then pop it back into gear and keep going. I know this is a good thing for her to know, but it's starting to drive me nuts. Is it OK for the transmission? It's coming close to an argument for us. Can you tell me if what she's doing is OK? -- Mike
Is paying for a post-diagnostic repair a rip-off?
Dear Tom and Ray: We recently took our 2001 VW Jetta to the dealer because the Check Engine light was on. After guessing at the solution (something about the code was vague), they charged us 280 dollars for diagnostics and to replace the air filter and spark plugs. They also wanted 65 dollars to run a "post-repair diagnostic check"; I refused, as it seems to me this should be part of any repair. They prominently noted my refusal on the repair bill. We picked up the car after the repair shop had closed. The Check Engine light was still on, and the car ran worse than before. The next morning, they wanted to charge us 118 dollars for another diagnostic. I would have ranted and raved, but my saintly wife used guile to get them to back off. So my question is, Should I ever pay for a "post-repair diagnostic," or is this just a pure rip-off? -- Craig
Today: should you dress your car's belts?
Dear Tom and Ray: Belt dressings? Yes or no? I heard on your radio show this week not to spray belt dressings on serpentine belts. I recently was told TO use belt dressings on my serpentine belt by a mechanic. He said it would increase the longevity of the belt -- replacing the lost oils and keeping it more flexible and, therefore, increasing the life of the belt. Why is this not good on today's belts? -- Bruce
Can Blair "trust but verify" her daughter's driving?
Dear Tom and Ray: I'm a concerned mom. Our spirited 16-year-old daughter will soon have her driver's license. We subscribe to the Reaganesque philosophy of "trust but verify" when it comes to raising teenagers. Is there a covert car-tracking device or service that you recommend that would provide us with the ability to locate the vehicle on demand via e-mail or SMS (Short Message Service)? Thanks for your help! -- Blair
Can Brad just go ahead and rip off that air dam?
Dear Tom and Ray: So the air dam on my '91 Chevy C1500 has taken a beating and is starting to come off. Rather than try to rig it back on or replace it, I want to simply remove it and be done with it. The truck is my only vehicle, used primarily for driving to and from work. However, I do take it "off road" on a farm from time to time, even though it has two-wheel drive, and that is where the damage comes from. I've been warned that the air dam is not simply a cosmetic piece but that it serves several functions for the truck. I'd love to get some advice on the pros and cons of not having one. Thanks! -- Brad

Dear Tom and Ray - Cartalk Newspaper Column

Parking Enforcement - Parking Enforcement
...side of your store should use the spaces because they plan on visiting your business. It`d be pretty cheeky if people parked their cars outside your business and then headed off into the distance. W...
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Electric Bike - Electric Bike
...bout the impact their carbon footprint is having on the planet. What steps can we take as nation to reduce harmful emissions whilst being a little kinder to the environment at the same time? One way...
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Vehicle Signs - Vehicle Signs
...e your services at every given opportunity. If people don`t know who you are and what services you provide how are you going to conjure up repeat business in the future? Word of mouth is ok but this...
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Coaches Birmingham - Coaches Birmingham
...m Birmingham to Manchester and, as we are short of money at the moment, we were keen to find the cheapest travel option we could. We were going for a big night out with people we had been to universi...
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Selling My Car For Scrap - Selling My Car For Scrap
...nd it could be wiser to invest in a newer vehicle. Old and dilapidated vehicles might not be road worthy anymore and their last trip will be to the scrap yard. If I was considering Selling my Car fo...
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Car Valeting Newhaven - Car Valeting Newhaven
...haven and it is a place where there are a lot of firms offering the service of valeting. car valeting Newhavenseems to do very well but there is specialist equipment involved in the process. Everyon...
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Clifford Car Alarms - Clifford Car Alarms
...as maintained its position for the last 20 years as a leader in innovation when it comes to security systems for vehicles. The company knows the value of security measures in today`s world, and it has...
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Airport Transfers Aylesbury - Airport Transfers Aylesbury
...ort on company business. They should be met at the airport by an experienced chauffeur who can escort their passenger to a luxury vehicle. It goes without saying that the chauffeur should help the c...
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Luxury Coach Hire - Luxury Coach Hire
... as a business person when you waste time between different venues? If you have to drive yourself and your team from one venue to another you`ll be wasting valuable time that could be put to better u...
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Car Repair Watford - Car Repair Watford
...gree with is the majority of us need our cars to travel around in. Some folks might rely on their cars to get to work in whilst others need them to transport the kids to and from school. As necessiti...
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Car Recovery Watford - Car Recovery Watford
... recovery company as it can be used as a phrase when searching on line. I believe it is essential that every driver should be registered with a car recovery company and this does not mean that you hav...
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Cheap Diesel - Cheap Diesel
... diesel and petrol? Especially in today`s times when we are constantly seeing fuel prices increase before our very eyes with some of the changes being daily! You can now make diesel and petrol purchas...
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Car Alarms - Car Alarms
...ars can mean the world to their owners and they`ll want to stop any harm from coming to them. People lavish large amounts of money making their cars look stunning so they`ll need to protect them with...
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Chip Tuning - Chip Tuning
...eave the factory with their engines tuned to the manufacturer`s specification but that doesn`t mean to say they have to stay like that for long. Each engine can undergo a process called chip tuning w...
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Grab Hire Lorry - Grab Hire Lorry
...works under way near our local railway station and each day I pass a fleet of tipper grab trucks that are hard at work. It seems that the work is being carried out in preparation for the extension of...
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Vauxhall Spare - Vauxhall Spare
... inner city area of south London in the London borough of Lambeth. Founded by Alexander Wilson in 1857, Vauxhall motors is a UK car company and is a subsidiary of General Motors. Having a partnership ...
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Snow Chains - Snow Chains
...tem of equipment that you`ll need for your car if you plan on going skiing abroad this year will be a decent set of snow chains. The chains are intended to use on roads that are covered in snow and s...
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Airport Taxi Wiltshire - Airport Taxi Wiltshire
...n holiday in a couple of days. It feels to me as though I haven`t seen the sun al year but that is all behind me now. I am going to Egypt where the weather is lovely at all times of year. I have ju...
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Cheap Car Servicing - Cheap Car Servicing
...o sound like my dad now but I can remember the days when you could get a full service for 60 quid. My goodness, if only those days were still with us because the last time I took my motor for a full ...
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Ecu Remapping - Ecu Remapping
... the car can be hooked up to a computer and the increase in power can be seen. You might love your Lamborghini but want to boost the power of the engine slightly. That beautiful Bentley might look t...
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Gatwick Airport Taxi - Gatwick Airport Taxi
...itement at the thought of what lies ahead. I can`t imagine anything putting me in a bad mood on the day of departure, unless that is, I managed to somehow miss my flight. Luckily this has never happ...
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Electric Moped - Electric Moped
... type of transport to get you to and from work but does it meet with your green credentials? Having looked at various types of transport for the daily commute you thought the moped would be the best ...
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Audi Roof Boxes - Audi Roof Boxes
...d control system for its cars called ?Multimedia Interface`. This comes essentially with a rotating control knob designed to control radio, satellite navigation, TV, heating and car controls with a sc...
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Parking Solutions - Parking Solutions
...ember the day that I got my car clamped clearly. I was due to meet a mate for a coffee at a place in town and I decided to use this little outdoor car park that I tend to use from time to time. Runn...
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Wedding Cars Aylesbury - Wedding Cars Aylesbury
...e occasion. The bride will have been preparing for this day for months and she`ll want every element to be just perfect for her wedding. From the choice of wedding cake supplier to the supplier for ...
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Van Roof Bars - Van Roof Bars
...ers and craftsmen, police and postal workers, florists and fence erectors, sales and security men. Vehicles such as these can give numerous years of reliable service and they are capable of transport...
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Mobile Catering Units - Mobile Catering Units
... of clientele. Everybody wants a well built unit to suit their individual needs. Whether you`re catering for schools, industrial sites or fayres and carnivals.Alot of people of there own ideas in mind...
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Used Catering Trailers - Used Catering Trailers
...on style ,quality or finish .All used catering trailers are serviced in fine detail to a high standard and can be presented to suit your individual needs. You can achieve the exact specification that...
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Vinyl Lettering - Vinyl Lettering
... just vans that had lettering upon them but company cars now have graphics upon them as well. You can`t blame companies for trying to promote their business by using their transport fleets as adverti...
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Car Valeting Brighton - Car Valeting Brighton
... it`s not always that easy over the winter months. The salt and grit that`s left on the road makes it impossible for the car to be kept clean all of the time, plus it can be freezing trying to wash t...
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Towbars - Towbars
...ng the summer holidays or on bank holiday weekends. The motorways and A and B roads are packed with caravans that are being taken to seaside camp sites. Speed boats or jet skis might require the servi...
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Scrap My Car - Scrap My Car
...MOT test centre isn`t good. Your Fiesta has failed miserably and it will cost you a fortune to have the work carried out on the car if you want to get it throughout its test this year. Is it worth it...
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Coach Hire Birmingham - Coach Hire Birmingham
...y decided to give all its employees a treat and take them out for the evening. They hired a huge baronial hall in the countryside and laid on a band and entertainment for the evening. In addition to...
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Coach Hire - Coach Hire
...hester which provides coach hire for different types of events and people. She really enjoys her job as she says that there is a lot more to coach hire than one would initially expect. For example, ...
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Diesel Cards - Diesel Cards
...y that took on projects all around the country. We were issued with company vans that ran on diesel and we could clock up 40,000 miles a year with ease. Regular trips to service stations to fill up w...
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Thule Roof Racks - Thule Roof Racks
...amping it`s the same old story and each time you chastise yourself for not investing in a roof rack. In the bad old days roof racks tended to be pretty basic but today`s modern thule roof racksare fa...
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Bmw Car Service - Bmw Car Service
... a main dealer BMW workshop for a service and the labour costs alone will leave your eyes watering. Book a bmw car service through a mobile car mechanic and you`ll find their prices are far cheaper. ...
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Chauffeur Driven Car Hire - Chauffeur Driven Car Hire
...style. Unbeknown to your wonderful wife you have booked a weekend trip to Venice and you intend to start off the holiday in the possible way. Instead of being dropped off at the airport by one of yo...
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Roof Bars - Roof Bars
...an`t stretch our finances that far, but it`s a decent second hand number. With one owner from new and free roof bars included what more could a family need? I jest of course but the reality is the b...
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Westfalia - Westfalia
... are based on the web that sell many makes of tow bars ,to give you a wide choice. Having a good choice under one roof will make sure you get the correct one for your car or van and it will be reliabl...
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Zafira Parts - Zafira Parts
... got an old Zafira at the moment and, although I have had it for a really long time, it has always been a really good car for me and totally reliable. In the last couple of months, however, more and ...
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Van Roof Rack - Van Roof Rack
... Sprinter van I have recently bought for work. Since setting up my own business three years ago I have had a Renault van, it was a lot smaller then the one I have now and I had regular problems with i...
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Muck Away - Muck Away
...uction crews and local authorities can all be in need of a muck away service at some point. They don`t` always have the facilities or the machinery to shift large mounds of dirt and when they need t...
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Rhino Roof Bars - Rhino Roof Bars
...ob, rhino roof bars might be of benefit that will attach to the van`s roof. A versatile set of rhino roof bars can happily facilitate ladders as well as other longer pieces of equipment. They`ll kee...
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Airport Transfer Somerset - Airport Transfer Somerset
...king for someone who can do airport transfer somerset as I have a friend coming from Canada in the next couple of weeks who I have not seen for many years. I am so looking forward to seeing her, I re...
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