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| - Barney announces to Andy that he has withdrawn all the money from his savings account ($300) and intends to buy his own car. He sees an advertisement for a 1954 Ford that claims it's only been "driven to church on Sunday" and decides to call the seller and buy it. The next day, Barney and Andy are sitting on Andy's front porch as Myrt "Hubcaps" Lesh drives up in the car. Unbeknownst to Barney, Mrs. Lesh is the ringleader of an automotive "chop shop" and the car, while looking spectacular on the surface, is a total lemon. Mrs. Lesh plays herself up as a sweet widow whose "dear husband Bernard" owned the car previously. She even goes so far as to encourage Barney to have the car checked out by a mechanic, but Barney is so taken by her and the prospect of owning the car that he hands over his $300 almost immediately. Afterwards, Mrs. Lesh is picked up by her son (or nephew) and the two drive away, gratuitously celebrating their dishonest sale. Barney invites Thelma Lou, Andy, Aunt Bee, Opie, and Gomer out for a Sunday drive. As they are driving, strange noises begin sounding from the car. A part (maybe the muffler) drops from the car at one point. Finally, the steering column begins to protrude towards Barney as he grabs it. Barney stops the car with the engine overheating. After Andy gets water for the car, Barney, distraught by the fact he may have been had, lets Andy drive the car back before it makes even more noise and finally dies. Everyone takes turns pushing it back to town while Thelma Lou steers. Back at the courthouse, Gomer arrives, having just checked out the car. Gomer reads off an exhaustive list of all the repairs the car needs along with an important discovery: sawdust in the transmission and differential, which makes worn gears run smoothly for a short time. This is all Andy needs to take the car back to Mrs. Lesh and blow their operation. Andy and Barney attempt to drive the car back, but it goes dead again on the dirt road. Andy calls Gomer to come pick them up and he and Barney wait in the back seat and take a nap. A tow truck arrives and begins to tow the car, but it is from Lesh's shop. Andy and Barney awaken and notice the tow truck is not Gomer's, but decide to stay hidden to see if they are taken to the chop shop. Once they arrive, Barney loads his one bullet in his pistol and he and Andy place Myrt and her boys under arrest. Barney, with his $300 refunded, attempts to buy another car. When the seller, another old spinster lady, arrives at the courthouse, Barney refuses to believe she is on the level. He even goes so far as to insultingly associate her with "Hubcaps" Lesh, but then her nephew, a minister, arrives asking if the sale has been made. Barney is obviously embarrassed.
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