For those who collect them, there is simply no substitute for good old fashioned 8 track tapes. These large plastic cartridges can evoke a lifetime's worth of memories for those who were around during their peak usage in the '70s.

It is perhaps a little known fact that audiophiles actually preferred 8 track tapes to their usurper, the cassette tape. 8 track tapes had a wider ribbon, which some feel provided better sound reproduction. This extra wide ribbon is the source of the 8 track tape's ability to house four separate side of 8 track recorded music. Anyone who has had any experience with 8 track tapes knows well, however, that they are prone to 'wearing out' and the players themselves vary wildly in quality. A worn out 8 track will oftentimes play two sides at once, or it may even get tangled up in the player itself.

There are some steps you can take to potentially repair a broken or worn out 8 track tape. For example, if the foam padding is worn out and the tape play is suffering, you can simply replace the worn out foam backing with a small piece of kitchen sponge. Another common problem with 8 track tapes is the so-called tape binding issue. This occurs when the tape reels dry out and the player can no longer correctly spool and unspool them. One way to fix this issue is to open up the 8 track tape and lubricate the spool with something as common as Vaseline.

One major problem that often spells certain disaster for an 8 track tape is a crinkled 'accordion' tape. This can happen for a number of reasons; the most common, however, it is the result of a tape jam. The fix for this is simpler than one might imagine. You can actually take a clothing iron, put it on the lowest setting available, and then 'iron out' the crinkles.