I don't listen to Car talk, but my mom does, and called me yesterday to forewarn me against supercharging a Miata, based on Click and Clack's admonition against doing so. I just listened to the segment online and it's hilarious. Not sure if it's representative of their show, but, if so, I'm happy I don't listen to it.
For your listening pleasure:
In reply to dyintorace:
Anytime I've tried listening to that show I wonder why anybody does.
Tell your mom to stop listening to them. My dad installed a FM cold side supercharger on his Miata years ago, he's still alive, and not a menace of the highway. 
In the interest of full disclosure, my mom won't ride in the car.
No, you see, supercharging the Miata makes it easier to merge into today's crazy ass traffic in a tiny invisible car. Thus improving safety!
Would you want every numb nut to have a supercharged miata? I'd like everyone else to have a fiesta, while I have a 160 hp MG Midget.
And, listen to the show a few times, they have a Dodge Dart, an MGTD, etc. They aren't a bunch of enablers like us. 
Car Talk is like a radio version of Top Gear: Entertainment first, actual facts second... a distant second... if they don't know the subject, they make it up and after all the years they've been doing this show, they're very good at sounding convincing.
I've been in Oscar Jackson's personal SC Miata in California, it was a fun car. Oscar Jr. also had a Miata which I also think was SCd. If they do it, I think its OK.
Or just upgrade to a v8.
You have to understand the Magliozzi brothers. I knew them when they ran Good News Garage, a place where one could rent some garage space in the city and work on one's own stuff. They'd even let you borrow tools.
They are sarcastic ball-busters in the extreme. They knew damn well the guy was not going to listen to them so they piled on the sarcasm about killing himself and everyone in a 30-mile radius.
If they actually dealt with the pros and cons of supercharging, half their audience would've clicked off because they wouldn't get it. I heard the show and was hoping they would get into it but they know their core audience tunes in to hear their shenanigans and not any real substantive discussion.
Jerry From LA wrote: They are sarcastic ball-busters in the extreme. They knew damn well the guy was not going to listen to them so they piled on the sarcasm about killing himself and everyone in a 30-mile radius.
Precisely. They're great at basic diagnosis,and they will bring out specific issues with X model from Y year if it's relevant. They're more of a primary care physician, rather than a specialist. They can make a head gasket funny, but it's hard to belt out the supercharger jokes...
In reply to Jerry From LA:
Exactly, they do know their stuff and show it on occasion. I remember once they challenged the audience to figure why you cant get home with 15 lug nuts for a 5 lug 60s Chrysler (one side is left hand threads).
If someone has to call a radio show about SCing their Miata, then they don't need to SC their Miata.
but they also hand out info that is totally wrong on occasion
wbjones wrote: but they also hand out info that is totally wrong on occasion
so they're just like every other "ASE Certified" mechanic, then.....
dyintorace wrote: I don't listen to Car talk, but my mom does, and called me yesterday to forewarn me against supercharging a Miata, based on Click and Clack's admonition against doing so. I just listened to the segment online and it's hilarious. Not sure if it's representative of their show, but, if so, I'm happy I don't listen to it. For your listening pleasure: Don't supercharge a Miata!
I do listen to them, and heard it yesterday. You need to remember that we're NOT the target audience.....they are not sports car guys, and they ALWAYS want people in newer cars with more safety features.
Spoolpigeon wrote: If someone has to call a radio show about SCing their Miata, then they don't need to SC their Miata.
The guy didn't call. He wanted his wife to spend her bonus money on a go-fast bits for HIS car. She called car talk.
When the car talk guys started into "the suspension on that car is not designed for that kind of power" I was thinking that the car was probably upgraded.....and was right. The guy said his car is already set up for autocross.
wbjones wrote: but they also hand out info that is totally wrong on occasion
Yes, and they revel in their "wrongness." They do a segment where they bring back a caller a few weeks later. They're wrong about half the time but they don't care because 1. the car is not there to test and 2. their "advice" is free.
It's an entertainment show loosely based around cars.
wbjones wrote: but they also hand out info that is totally wrong on occasion
Why are these guys not on the inter-webs???
grafmiata wrote:wbjones wrote: but they also hand out info that is totally wrong on occasionWhy are these guys not on the inter-webs???
http://www.cartalk.com/
Jerry From LA wrote:grafmiata wrote:http://www.cartalk.com/wbjones wrote: but they also hand out info that is totally wrong on occasionWhy are these guys not on the inter-webs???
My question was meant as a joke...
In reply to grafmiata:
If they were on the internet they would never be wrong.
Who are Click and Clack? 
irish44j wrote:wbjones wrote: but they also hand out info that is totally wrong on occasionso they're just like every other "ASE Certified" mechanic, then.....
And you (wbjones) are correct....huh? These dudes, besides the radio personality bit, have been mechanics for 40+ years in Boston. Every mechanic is wrong on occasion, but these guys are more right than wrong, and honestly, give pretty amazing advice for only getting/giving information over the radio.
irish44j wrote:wbjones wrote: but they also hand out info that is totally wrong on occasionso they're just like every other "ASE Certified" mechanic, then.....
Hey, I resemble that remark!
The thing is, The Tappett brothers, AKA Click and Clack are retired! PBS keeps running them because they're cheap and popular. Personally I find them annoying, regardless of the quality or lack thereof of their advice. Their corny jokes are overplayed, and they just try too damn hard to be funny. It reminds me of NFL shows with all the washed-up players who suddenly think that they're the funniest thing going.
I will listen to them on occasion. Only because they come on before all the sunday NPR shows I really enjoy
I agree, supercharging a Miata is stupid. Obviously you should be using a turbo. :)
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