January 1992

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Dear Tom and Ray:
I have a 1977 Cadillac four-door sedan. The head liner is falling down. Is there anything I can do to repair it, or must I pay $200 to an upholstery business?
John

RAY: Well, John, there's nothing that says you have to pay $200 to an upholstery business. You can pay the $200 to a plasterer and have it stuccoed, Spanish style.

TOM: Actually, John, it really does have to be replaced. There's really no way to "fix" it properly, and if it sags low enough, it can block your visibility.

RAY: And you can't just tear it off, for several reasons. First of all, you'll be amazed at how ugly the the roof is without it. Secondly, the car will seem a lot noisier without it. And thirdly, the headliner keeps you from slicing open your head on those sharp pieces of metal in the roof's framework.

TOM: So bite the bullet, John, and pay the $200. And by the way, that's cheap for a headliner. In Las Vegas, headliners like Wayne Newton get thousands of dollars a night!

Back to the January 1992 index

© 2008 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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Auto repairs can be costly! Save money by ordering Tom and Ray's pamphlet: "Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It!" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.