HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2003-04-16, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2003.
r car shoppers
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
If looking for an alternative to
wandering through desolate car lots
in the rain and wind, seeking
information on that little black
number in the corner while still
avoiding the pitch, help may be at
hand.
With the click of a few keys,
vehicle shoppers can go on-line and
peruse new car options directly from
the manufacturer, a well-known
dealer or simply look up ads for used
automobiles.
While the first two options are
easy to locate simply by punching in
the name of the maker or local
showroom, a bevy of choices can be
found. However, if a vehicle with a
few miles on it or a classic is sought,
there are sites to meet those needs.
Though the selections on the
world wide web may be limitless,
local buyers should surf over to
autotrader.ca as one of the premier
sites.
Not only is it user-friendly, but it
Ways to save money on gas
has a huge inventory of ads through
which one can browse.
The home page shows eight
subcategories by which the search
can be narrowed. These include cars,
trucks, boats, recreational vehicles,
bikes, sleds and ATVs, heavy truck
and equipment.
There is a good search engine if
looking for something specific as the
make, model, year or price range can
be the criteria.
Aside from the private ads on the
site, surfers can visit dealer lots,
place their own ads and even locate
the nearest photo centre where
arrangements can be made to
photograph a vehicle for sale.
With a quick click on the London
and area dealer link, more than 50
possibilities came up.
A contact link to dealers in
included so interested parties can e-
mail a request for more information
or airange ? viewing.
For those wishing to sell a vehicle,
the instructions are straightforward
and can be done on-line, over the
phone or in person.
If users decide to join Auto Trader,
a free service, the site will web
watch for your preferences.
For shoppers located along the 401
corridor, www.401carfinder.ca may
be of interest. Though it was
marketed for the corridor, there were
no on-line dealers listed that were
located south of the GTA.
The layout of the site is simple
with options to view offerings, sell a
car or search the data.
However, it does seem to have a
more limited private clientele. Just
as a test, no Toyotas could be found
in the London or Kitchener-Waterloo
area.
A dealer search tracked down
numerous autos. Again by entering
Toyota, 16,700 site links were found.
By adding Tundra to the search
criteria, that was cut to 266 and
London trimmed it to 18.
Many of the connections were
useless as far as car buying was
concerned to the more information
included the better.
Also private sales and dealers are
listed separately so more individual
searches would be required.
Two other sites were located, but
were of far less value. The site
www.forsalebyownercanada.com/ve
hicles/index.html was cumbersome
to use as it simply listed all
possibilities on a scroll-down text
IN NEED OF A SPRING TUNE-UP?
- Complete Mechanical Service
- Computerized Tune-ups - Tires - Brakes
- Mufflers - Vehicle Inspection Station
DAN'S AUTO REPAIR
R.R. #3 Blyth (on the Westfield Rd.)
523-4356
G&M
Auto Parts
list with very few pictures.
www.carfinder.ca could be
distracting as it does not focus on
vehicles as the name might indicate.
Even a search under used cars only
gave lists of sites to link to, many of
which were American.
A ■ Auto Parts Plus
ii sf:
(MS) — With fuel prices on the
rise and concerns about future
availability, you’re probably
searching for ways to conserve as
much gas as possible. Learn how to
get more mileage for your money
with these easy tips.
1. Drive with caution. Don’t
exceed highway speed limits. Use
moderate-to-easy acceleration. Gas
mileage is negatively affected by
fast acceleration and fast
deceleration. If possible, use cruise
control on highway trips.
Maintaining a constant speed helps
reduce fuel consumption.
2. Maintain a properly-tuned
engine. Dirty sparkplugs do not
create the maximum spark and cause
reduced horsepower and increased
emissions.
3. Go easy on the air conditioning.
Limit use of air conditioning,
especially on hot summer days.
4. Use synthetic lubricants. Switch
to synthetic motor oil and drivetrain
lubricants.
5. Maintain your car’s air filter.
Install a new air filter as needed. To
get optimal efficiency from your
engine, it has to breathe.
6. Take advantage of
aerodynamics. Keep windows rolled
up if you are travelling over 40 mph.
At highway speeds, traveling with
the windows open can create a wind
drag that will lower your mileage.
Sun roofs also disturb smooth
aerodynamic air flow and reduce
mileage. Also avoid using a roof
rack; you can reduce aerodynamic
drag and improve fuel economy by
placing items inside the trunk
whenever possible.
7. Take good care of your tires.
Make sure your tires are properly
inflated and keep them balanced and
rotated regularly. Use radial tires for
less friction between tire and road.
Also, make sure the front end is
aligned for better mileage and a
longer tire life.
8. Avoid excess weight. Pack light
and clean out your trunk
periodically. You would be surprised
how much unnecessary stuff most
people carry around in their trunks.
Every 200 pounds of unnecessary
weight shaves one mile per gallon
off your gas mileage.
9. Minimize idling. One minute of
idling uses more fuel than restarting
your engine. When possible, avoid
drive-throughs. Idling for as little as
10 minutes while you wait in line
can waste five or six miles of gas.
Limit warm-ups to 30 seconds.
10. Plan trips in advance. Make a
list of errands and try to take care of
as many as possible on the same trip.
Come In And Check This Out!
Campbell Hausfeld
Air Compressors
- Different Sizes and Styles
Phone 887-8002 Fax 887-8004
235 Turnberry St., Brussels
Bill Giousher Gary McArter
Res.: 523-9023 Res.: 887-6027
IF YOU SPENT THE WINTER IN A DRAFTY
GARAGE, YOU'D NEED A CHECK-UP TOO
SPRING MAINTENANCE PACKAGE
QE * Lube, oil and filter • 15 point inspection
K wO including coolant, tires, wipers, hoses & belts
Pius tax • Tire rotation • Brake inspection
• Top up fluids • Set tire pressure
INCLUDES AN ELECTRONIC BATTERY TEST.
Two great service offers,
Deal with
"DEALER OF
EXCELLENCE"
one great service reminder.
■■■■CHEVROLET ■
JOHN CULLEN
■■OLDSMOBILE ■■■■
SERVICE DEPT. HOURS:
Mon. • Fri.
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.;
Sat
9 a.m. -1 p.m.
UNIROYAL "TIGER PAW ASC" P185/75R14
Fits most '90-'94 t A mQE
Sunbirds and * v* / 5,3
Cavaliers V I Plus tax
UNIROYAL "TIGER PAW ASC" P215/75R15
Fits most '94-'01 6 A AGRSafarisand vX||“3
Astros W Plus tax
UNIROYAL "TIGER PAW ASC" P205Z70R15
Fits most'91-'00 QaaGR
Grand Prixs and **« «
LeSabres W W Pius tax
UNIROYAL "TIGER PAW ASC" P235H5R15
Fits most'96-'99
JimmysandBlazers Ww Pius tax
MadeuA
OU10V
MtUfltd
Oldsmotxle
115 Josephine St, Wingham 357-2323
ARE YOU
READY FOR THE
OPEN ROAD?
Get your car ready for spring touring
Call 523*9308 and book your tune-up today!
B "JVMV MaBT - n|<<<-: JW .11
B A Wv VW 1
L-utLUL. J-F j ■ Jr
5^1
Repairs to all
makes and models
of Cars & Trucks
Located 2 miles south of Blyth
Corner of London Road and Hullett-McKillop Road