GES Si i in i ee Me SRE Ck se 2— Auto, Edition 1992 Tinted glass look a cut above the rest Neal McKenna NEWS STAFF o longer the domain of stretch limos or pricey sports coupes, today’s tinted glass is affordable and prac- tical, too. 4 Tinting the glass in your car is the most economical way to improve the appearance of your vehicle in a very short time. Depending on the shade chosen, interior heat can be reduced by 60 per cent and glare is reduced by a comfortable 92 per cent. All except the darkest shades are easy to see out of, even at night. Most automotive films are guaranteed by an autho- rized dealer. Warranties usually cover peeling, bubbling, and de-lamination, so your investment is protected. nstallation is a relatively simple process. High tech I polyester film is bonded to the inside surface of the glass. Properly installed, it is invisible with no un- sightly bubbles or wrinkles. Professional garage films are durable and scratch resistant, even on roll-up windows. And speaking of side windows, in the Province of British Colum- bia, tinting is only allowed on side glass behind the driver and stallation of tinted films vary from one province or territo to another. ‘ not at all on rear greenhouses. Regulations affecting the in- |: W@ Going that extra distance all depends on how we treat our vehicles en is the last time you drove your vehicle in- to a repair facility for a pre- ventive brake check? Probably never, since most of us don’t think about our brakes until they need attention: cor- rective versus preventive maintenance. The Free Brake Inspec- tion frequently advertised by the auto repair trade is an offer usually passed up by the public, even though brake failure tops the list of mechanical failures feared by drivers. It also is the leading cause of traffic accidents defect, says the Automo- tive Industries Association of Canada. rake failure near- ly always is pre- ventable. A thor- ough braking system checkup includes inspec- tion of: ¢ pads and shoes for lin- ing wear; ¢ drums and rotors for wear; e wheel cylinders and calipers for leakage; e hydraulic lines and hoses for leaks, kinks and blockage; ¢ fluid master cylinder for level and condition. _ . An ideal time to have this inspection is when the vehicle is on the lift for the tire rotation or other ser- Preventive care adds miles : attributable to mechanical vice. If brake work is nec- essary, invest in quality. The “price” brake job sel- domisabargain.. — The better grade of fric- tion materials (pads and/or linings), for example, will last longer and perform better than substandard grade. A quality job will include flushing of the hydraulic system and installation of new, heavy duty fluid. rums and rotors would be resur- faced; parts worn beyond safe limits re- placed. Brake hardware, which includes dozens.of springs, bushings and other parts, are subject to rust and cor- rosion and should be re- placed. AUTO (— FACTS Aircraft technology finds its way into GM vehicles (NC)—At General Motors’ Hughes Aircraft_Company,-high technology is a way of life. And for some time, " have_been_working_on—a number of. projects aimed at transferring that expertise from _ Hughes to General Motors products. One such project is the Head-Up Display (HUD) currently used in many jet aircraft. Developed jointly by Hughes and GM’s Delco Elec— tronics, HUD projects a vehicle’s speed, fuel level and turn-signal indicators onto the windshield of the car. The instruments appear to float in space in front of the car, so the driver doesn’t have to look away from the road to check them. The HUD system is available as an option on all 1991 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme International coupe and sedan models, and on Pontiac Grand Prix STE, GT and GTP coupe and SE sedan models. For the future, engineers are working on a Holographic Centre High Mounted Stop Light.. The holographic light projects red light beams through a clear circular hologram ona vehicle’s rear window, generating a red stop light when the brakes are applied. It eliminates the current lamp that’s mounted on the rear package shelf. Also in the works are a Near Obs- tacte-D Sy that_will automatically alert drivers of objects immediately behind the vehicle and an improved power supply to extend the range of GM’s electric vehicle— the Impact (scheduled for production later in the decade). Hughes has also developed an CASTLEGAR IMPORT CENTER 4 IG eee and G, PROPANE Introduce or He ROMP Don’t dare live with a leak emember the anxiety you felt the first time you noticed that puddle of water nder your car at a rest stop during vacation? What a relief to discover it was only conden- sation from the air conditioner. That’s about the only kind of fluid leakage that doesn’t warrant concern, says the Auto- motive Industries Association of Canada. Any other drip or puddles are omens of potential car trouble,even a safety hazard. Acommon practice is to put up with a mi- nor leak until it’s convenient to get it fixed, es- pecially when you are away from home. Delaying such repairs, which often involve nothing more than tightening a hose or replac- ing a gasket, can be costly. The best way to find and/or prevent leaks is to keep the engine clean an check under and around the vehicle periodically for spots indi- cating leaks. ' eeping gaskets, hoses and connec- K tions in good condition will prevent ost of such problems from occur- In your own driveway it’s relatively easy to locate and identify a leak. At night you can spread paper under the suspicious spot for closer scrutiny next morn- Ina rest stop or parking lot, however, you first have to determine if the leakage actually has come from your vehicle. It could be from the one which previously sat in that space. You next challenge: to identify the fluid. Col- or and texture are your main-clues: © Green or yellowish water near the engine is antifreeze. : © Red fluid comes the automotive transmis- sion or the power steering (although they are not the same). e An oily liquid, usually without much col- or ead with a pungent odor, is likely to be brake fluid. ¢ A thin fluid smelling like gasoline proba- bly is just that.Leakage oil, antifreeze or gaso- line around a engine is hazardous, the latter being the leading cause of car fires. It may be necessary to have a gas leak re- paired before starting the engine. heck fluid levels frequently on a long trip, especially is there is a possibili- J ty of a leak. No one particularly wants to look for trouble on along trip, but on occasional check under the hood and around the car at a rest stop may prevent real trouble down the road. For more information contact Doug Jordan, vice-president, Automotive Industries Associa- tion of Canada, 1272 Wellington Street, Ot- tawa, Ontario K1Y 3A7. Tel.: (613) 728-5821 Fax: (613) 728-6021. ‘ RAL GLASS & TRIM LTD. ¢ Auto Glass - Upholstery - Commercial ¢ Residential - Boat Tops - Convertible Tops 365-6505 1050 Columbia Ave., Castlegar FACTS Measuring resistance (NC)—Automotive engineers have long known that the rolling resistance of tires—the “drag” that results when a tire comes in contact with the road— is critical to a car’s fuel consumption. And now, thanks to a new Adam Opel AG test vehicle, the resistance can be accurately measured while on the move. Opel is General Motors’ German car manufacturing division. ee AUTO DEPEND ON US! Propane Conversion Financing For Individuals and Businesses REALIZE SAVINGS OF BETWEEN 30 AND 50 PER CENT ON YOUR CURRENT FUEL COSTS. Propane equipment supplied by Castlegar Import Center is state of the art. We conduct a thorough engine analysis to determine the condition of the engine. Then we recommend the proper conversion equipment to suit your vehicle and driving needs. Pre arranged financing. We have made special arrangements so you can schedule your conversion and financing in one easy step. There are over 3.5 million vehicles presently running on propane. Propane is environmentally friendly. CASTLEGAR IMPORT CENTER ~ 2701 Columbia Ave. Castlegar B.C. V1N 2X8 ¢ 365-5111 DESIGNATED INSPECTION FACILITY The test car, based on an Opel Kadett station wagon, has a specifi— cally designed rigid rear axle that effectively allows engineers to separate rolling resistance from other factors, such as friction from air. An onboard computer calls up data from sensors as often as 400 times per second to constantly calculate rolling resistance in relation to speed and tire temperature. And an infrared sensor measures heat build-up without mak— ing actual contact with the tires. CASTLEGAR CUSTOM a) SUBARLI. SAVE UP TO 1690 your participating Subaru dealer is offering all their four-wheel drive Legacys Loyales and Justys at two-wheel drive prices. Depending on which model you choose, that can mean a savings of up to $1,690! Get double the traction, double the safety with four-wheel drive, now for the price of two-wheel drive for a limited time. ENGINES » . HURRY —tr_ii_Y or eee Te — i, = Subaru Legacys, a Subaru today FOR SALE "90 DODGE RAM 150 PICKUP 4x4 318 V-8, P.S., P.B., AWFM Radio, Auto., Blue . $11,995 "89 CHEV S10 TAHOE EXTRA CAB 4.3L, V-6, Auto., A/C, Radio/Cass., boxliner, repo, red $1 2,995 "89 DODGE W250 4x4 V-8, 4-Speed, 48,000 km., clean repo. ....... 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