Dear Tom and Ray:

I know you've never heard this one! I have an '88 Buick LeSabre that I bought used. The steering wheel is too slick for safe operation. I've tried cleaning the wheel and applying all kinds of polishes. Nothing works, and the dealer just looks puzzled. Any ideas. Harold

Tom: First of all, Harold, dealers always look puzzled. They teach that at dealer training school.

Ray: Second, I hope you're not using a polish like Armorall or Son of a Gun on the wheel. That's great if you want to make something MORE shiny and slippery....like if you're planning to rob a bank, and you want to be able to jump in the passenger door, and slide across the vinyl bench seat to the drivers side for a quick getaway. But in your case, a polish would be the last thing you'd want to use.

Tom: And if fact, one of the reasons those polishes work so well is because they're almost impossible to get off!

Ray: So what I'd recommend for you is one of those leather steering wheel wraps. For about 25 bucks, you can get a good quality leather cover that you lace to the steering wheel. That should give you a good surface to grip.

Tom: Or, you can always use my brother's method. He makes sure his steering wheel is always sticky and easy to grip by eating two or three double-glazed, chocolate covered donuts on his way to work every morning.

It's amazing how many bad driving habits and wacko theories have been passed down from generation to generation! Tom and Ray set the record straight in their booklet "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.

© 1993 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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