Acupuncture for autos

Fortunately, the tire hasn't gone flat yet, but my radio seems to be working better than usual.

Automobiles can get just as sick as humans can, and we seem to subject them to the same "healing" insults: surgery, medication, transplants, and that odd combo of chiropractic and anaplasty commonly called "body work" which costs as much per hour as its human equivalent.

This idea, though it may sound like magic, is actually a database of user experience. An owner logs into the database, fills in fields for make, model, year, and symptoms of the problem. Then they enter their solution. Yes, the solution that made the guy at the repair shop turn and stuff the oily rag in his mouth to stifle the guffaws.

Then, later, I can do a search on my car model and find that I should try thumping on the dashboard just above the speedometer if the headlights go out unexpectedly. Or that a sticky power doorlock can be temporarily unstuck by squeezing the door a handspan in front of the inside handle. Or that the squeaky defrost fan can be quieted with a tunafish can wedged in the vent.

We may not be able to explain *why* it works, but if it does work, that's good enough.