likes them like

[Azz]

Can one say
[color=red]a. He says he likes his desserts like his cars: very big.
b. He says he likes his desserts like he likes his cars: very big.
c. He says he likes his desserts the way he likes his cars: very big.
?

My feeling is that (b) and © are fine.
I suspect that (a) works but means something else. It means
d. He likes his desserts to be like his cars: very big.
That implies that he does indeed have very big cars.

In the other sentences, it is not said that his cars are really very big. It is just said that he likes them big.

Is that correct?

Many thanks.

[Anglophile]

To me ‘very big’ does not indicate a clear and direct relationship with with the first part of the sentence. All the three sentences would, otherwise, mean that he says that he likes the dessert as much as he likes his cars.

[Beeesneees]

@Azz

Can one say
[color=red]a. He says he likes his desserts like his cars: very big.
b. He says he likes his desserts like he likes his cars: very big.
c. He says he likes his desserts the way he likes his cars: very big.
?

My feeling is that (b) and (c) are fine.
I suspect that (a) works but means something else. It means
d. He likes his desserts to be like his cars: very big.
That implies that he does indeed have very big cars.

In the other sentences, it is not said that his cars are really very big. It is just said that he likes them big.

Is that correct?

Many thanks.

I;d say that mthe vast majority (if not all) native English speakers would have no problems with any of them, with the meanings you have indicated, Azz.