Car Talk

June 1996

Dear Tom and Ray:

I recently took my 1988 Toyota Camry All Wheel Drive to the [bluecar2.gif] dealer to have the center exhaust pipe repaired. In addition to fixing the pipe, the dealer informed me that I need to replace the "rear control arm bushings" and the "rear sway bar bushings." What are they talking about, and should I do it? This car has 160,000 miles on it and I hesitate to spend $800 on additional repairs if it can be avoided. -- Thomas

Tom: I'd go ahead and replace the control arm bushings, Thomas. One of the important things they do is to keep both wheels pointing in the same direction, i.e., straight ahead. And if they're bad, the car is not only going to handle peculiarly, but your tires are also going to wear out in a hurry.

Ray: So based solely on a cost/benefit analysis, it would be worth replacing the control arm bushings just so you don't have to spend $200 on tires every six months.

Tom: The sway bar bushings, on the other hand, are not so important, and, incidentally, not so expensive. Sway bars are not safety-related. They simply improve the car's handling. They make the car corner flatter, but not every car has a sway bar, so you'd be hard-pressed to call them essential.

Ray: If the sway bar got really bad, you'd notice more lean when you took corners. So just take precautions to make sure your rear-seat passengers are people who you think would get along in social situations.

Tom: That way when you take a sharp left and the passengers go sliding into each other you can casually say "Bob, meet Lou; Lou, Bob."

Everybody wants a new car. But from a purely financial point of view, there is no question that buying a used car is always cheaper, even in the long run. To learn more, order Tom and Ray's pamphlet How to Buy a Used Car: Things That Detroit and Tokyo Don't Want You to Know. To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

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