The general rule has been any word with the vowel compound "ei" is pronounced as an "eye" sound, and the vowel compound "ie" is pronounced as a long "ee" sound...
As for the 'car/ka' situation, that is a Massachusetts, specifically Boston sound, and I really wouldn't put much stock in the pronunciation abilities of a state whose citizens insist upon pronouncing the name of one of their cities, spelled "Worcester", as "Wooster"...
<O>
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