Question: I was wondering if you could offer some advice on what I think is a bogus fuel-saving device. Basically, it's a magnet that you strap to your fuel line so the fuel passes the magnet before it goes into the engine. I own a 1990 Ford Crown Victoria, so optimizing my fuel economy is a constant battle. Have you ever heard of this gadget working? Or is it just another useless gadget aimed at gullible consumers like me? -- Scott
Ray: Well, we have good news and bad news, Scott. The bad news is that -- as far as I can tell -- these gadgets are complete nonsense.Tom: The good news is you shouldn't feel at all bad about being gullible. Why? Because my brother put one of these in his '87 Dodge Dakota pickup truck.
Ray: That's right. And I'm convinced that I would have gotten the same improvement in mileage if I had walked around with the magnet stuck up my nose -- and I would've saved myself about half an hour of installation time, too.
Tom: The interesting thing about many of these products is that they come with "additional fuel savings tips." Stuff like "accelerate gently" and "don't leave the car idling while you're waiting for your wife to buy shoes." And I'd be willing to bet that those tips are responsible for all of the fuel savings that some people claim.
Ray: So I think my brother and I are going to go into business. We're going to offer JUST the tips for three bucks. And if that doesn't work, for an additional $39.95, we'll send you the magic magnet.
Question: I'm having difficulty finding good, name-brand P215/75 R14 tires for my 1984 Crown Victoria. Other than buying four 15-inch wheels, what are my options? -- Henry
Tom: It is a bit of an odd size, Henry (it's the 75 that's odd), but you can find them. In that size, we were able to find a Goodyear tire called the Regatta II and a Michelin tire called the XH4. Dunlop also makes a 75 R14 tire called the SP40 that's a little cheaper than the Goodyear and the Michelin.
Ray: If you can't find any of these locally, you can always go mail order. Pick up a copy of Automobile Magazine (or "Car and Drivel" or "Road and Dreck") and look for an ad for one of those mail-order tire warehouses like Tire Rack or NTW.
Tom: You'll find their prices to be very reasonable compared with the local tire dealers. But don't forget, since there's no such thing as mail-order mounting and balancing yet, you'll still have to pay someone to put the tires on for you. So factor that into the cost, too. Good luck, Henry.
The Magliozzi brothers' radio show, "Car Talk," can be heard Saturdays at 10 a.m. and Sundays at noon on KUER FM 90.1, and on KCPW 88.3/105.1 FM Saturdays at 9 a.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m. If you have a question about cars, write to Click and Clack Talk Cars c/o King Features Syndicate, 235 E. 45th St., New York, NY 10017. You can e-mail them by visiting their Web site at (http://cartalk.com).