Saturday, October 19, 1991 i

|Test driving a
vehicle before
buying 1s
important

By David Chao

Believe it or not, some peo- ~~

ple purchase new car without
even driving it.

I remember a relative of
mine in Toronto who decid
to buy a car because she
knew “it was good” and did
poate feel a test drive was nec-

are test drive of the vehicle
you are thinking of buying is
extremely important, since
you would not want to end up
with a car that is going to
frustrate you every time you
drive it.

If you plan to keep the car
for a ‘ee time, I would even
recommend renting a car for
a day to really check the car
out (assuming that the car of
your choice is available at a
rental agency).

Let's get into some
specifics. You are not going to
get much out of the drive if
you take a quick spin around
the block.

At the same time, it’s not
feasible to take the car out to
a test track for a full road

test.

So before taking the car
out, ask the salesman for a
route that will take you
through some curves and on
rough roads and a highway if
possible.

Before you actually step on
on the gas pedal, you should
check the interior out. Does

commodate all the raciveek i in
your family?

Does the steering column
tilt to give you a proper
and a clear view of the in-
strumentation?

What about the radio,

Bring your favorite cas-
sette to play in the car— you
will be able to compare the
sound quality much more

easily.
Once oni road: try driv-
ing the car as if you are look-

cor-.. form to your

“If 5 you feel that the car
throws you around too much
during turns, choose a model
with a firmer suspension.
Most manufacturers offer an
option or a different model
with stiffer suspension setup
for a better controlled ride.

Although acceleration
may not be a very important
factor for a family consider-
ing a sedan, you should still
check the available power to
see if the car can accelerate
and manoeuvre safely out of
emergency situations.

When there are no cars in
front of you, carefully but
quickly indulge yourself by
stepping on the gas pedal and
allowing the car to accelerate
up to the speed limit to see if
the car accelerates fast
enough to steer out of emer-
gency situations.

Don't forget to pay atten-
tion to the brakes and trans-
mission too.

Make sure that the brakes
do not feel spongy or mushy.
If the particular model offers
anti-lock brakes, buy it.

Even at $1,000 or more, I
feel that this is one option
you should not live without.

It basically allows you to
retain control over your
steering under slippery con-
ditions by “pumping” the
brakes automatically for you.
It’s an amazing system that
works extremely well in wet
weather or snow.

For the automatic trans-
mission, pay particular at-
tention to the way it shifts.

ly and be quite annoying for
the passengers.

During the test drive, ask
the salesman for information
on warranty, service separ

ment
“bates, etc. ta ey ale: (oiae
out features you did not real-
ize in the car.

But don't let the salesman
’ direct you too much, or you
will not be able to concen-
ee

“surprises” later are greatly
ced.

A test drive is only a part

of the car buying process; |

it is one of the more impor-
tant factors.

wT No finite How good a cer '

appear in magazines
brochures,

Care

continued from page 3
Also recommended i

should b e thoroughly cleaned
ispower to lift out ground-in dirt and

i with fresh water to stains, which tend to accumu-

ard against corrosion of late more re raeetly 3 in winter

body metals, as well agre-ap- weather condi
plication of rust protection
sealants if needed.

Painted ee should be
washed regularly and treated
Carpets and seat fabrics with premium waxes to pre-

vent chemical reaction from
salt, air borne pollutants and
other abrasive elements.

Unless they are serviced
and cleaned regularly, older
vehicles tend to age more
rapidly during the hard winter
months.

7 it saast per a
expectations. ‘

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