Morse tells Lewis about a friend who was terminally ill but was concerned that the battery on his car would go flat with not being driven so he got Morse to drive the car each week to keep the battery charged. Anthony Minghella, writer of the episode, included this story as a tribute to the late Kenny McBain, producer of Series 1 and 2, who had asked Minghella to perform this service on his newly-bought Saab when he discovered that he was dying of Hodgkin's disease.
Colin Dexter's cameo appearance is during the laundrette scene.
David Ryall, who plays Derek Whitaker, the head of the driving school next-door to Jeremy Boynton's motor dealership, later appeared in the 'Lewis' episode 'Life Born of Fire'. He is Inspector Lewis' next-door allotment gardener.
The steering wheel mentioned by Morse (and offered as a gift) as winning the 1956 Monte Carlo Rally would have been fitted to the Mark VII Jaguar that won, which was driven by Ronnie Adams, Frank Biggar and Derek Johnston.
Mary Jo Randle, who plays visiting DS Maitland, went on to have a long stint as a policewoman on The Bill.