Tom Magliozzi, aka "Clack" of the "Click & Clack" NPR radio program has died of complications of Alzheime's Disease.
If you are reading in this forum and don't know Tom & Ray Magliozzi, shame on you.
Their NPR program about cars and everything relating to cars (including relationships, mothers-in-law, money, and so on) was a staple in the weekly listening catalog of hundreds of thousands of American listeners. Their humor, silliness, and occasional profound insights - some about cars and some not - constituted the most popular NPR program ever, and it continues to be popular two years after they stopped producing the show.
(They have reconstructed programs using 8-minute call segments from the past, and if you don't know it's a re-creation before hand, you won't figure it out by listening).
The first time I heard their program I was driving around on a Saturday morning, and just happened upon this program where people were calling in to discuss issues they were having with their cars. I almost lost control when I heard one of the hosts tell the caller that her Acura Integra was a "stupid car." What kind of a program was this, where they would make fun of the products of a potential advertiser?
The opinion was based on the logical but seldom considered fact that an Integra was basically a Honda Civic on steroids, and actually cost the same as a Honda Accord - a bigger, safer, nicer car. So why would anyone buy an Integra?
Agree with it or not, it was an interesting comment.
Other things I learned over the years from these guys:
It makes no sense to fret about whether a car requires repairs that are "more than the car is worth." The relevant question is not how much the car is worth (even after the repair), but rather, the cost of the repair versus the cost TO REPLACE THE CAR, which is the real alternative.
The smell of male cat urine can never be gotten out of the car. Sell it or burn it.
The VW micro-bus, beloved as it was, was probably the most dangerous passenger car ever sold in the U.S.
The more miles that are on a car, the more likely the owner is willing to do some crazy, expensive stuff to keep it on the road for a few more years.
Given the reason for Tommy's demise, it appears he really couldn't remember last week's puzzler.
Don't drive like his brother.
If you are reading in this forum and don't know Tom & Ray Magliozzi, shame on you.
Their NPR program about cars and everything relating to cars (including relationships, mothers-in-law, money, and so on) was a staple in the weekly listening catalog of hundreds of thousands of American listeners. Their humor, silliness, and occasional profound insights - some about cars and some not - constituted the most popular NPR program ever, and it continues to be popular two years after they stopped producing the show.
(They have reconstructed programs using 8-minute call segments from the past, and if you don't know it's a re-creation before hand, you won't figure it out by listening).
The first time I heard their program I was driving around on a Saturday morning, and just happened upon this program where people were calling in to discuss issues they were having with their cars. I almost lost control when I heard one of the hosts tell the caller that her Acura Integra was a "stupid car." What kind of a program was this, where they would make fun of the products of a potential advertiser?
The opinion was based on the logical but seldom considered fact that an Integra was basically a Honda Civic on steroids, and actually cost the same as a Honda Accord - a bigger, safer, nicer car. So why would anyone buy an Integra?
Agree with it or not, it was an interesting comment.
Other things I learned over the years from these guys:
It makes no sense to fret about whether a car requires repairs that are "more than the car is worth." The relevant question is not how much the car is worth (even after the repair), but rather, the cost of the repair versus the cost TO REPLACE THE CAR, which is the real alternative.
The smell of male cat urine can never be gotten out of the car. Sell it or burn it.
The VW micro-bus, beloved as it was, was probably the most dangerous passenger car ever sold in the U.S.
The more miles that are on a car, the more likely the owner is willing to do some crazy, expensive stuff to keep it on the road for a few more years.
Given the reason for Tommy's demise, it appears he really couldn't remember last week's puzzler.
Don't drive like his brother.
the passing of someone who belongs in every automotive hall of fame in my opinion.
