8
Monday, November 7, 2011 For Advertising Information Contact Your Local Cars.Com On-The-Move Sales Team at 599-2329 Trucks, SUVs power strong Oct. auto sales DETROIT — Fans of SUVs and trucks shoved car buy- ers aside last month, helping the auto industry to its best October in four years. The shift was a boon for Detroit’s automakers, who posted sizeable increases in sales of pickups like the Ram and Chevy Silvera- do, big SUVs like the Ford Explorer and compact mod- els like the Ford Escape. While car sales have lost momentum from ear- lier in the year, some com- panies, including Hyundai and Volkswagen, continue to post impressive numbers and steal away their share of small car sales. Toyota and Honda, for years the category leaders, contin- ue to struggle with short- ages related to the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan. U.S. car and truck sales rose 8 percent from last October to 1.02 million, making this the best Octo- ber since 2007, before the recession hit. Sales are now tracking at a pace similar to the start of this year, before the earthquake and tsunami cut off supplies, according to Autodata Corp. Analysts expect them to stay at that pace through the rest of this year and into 2012. “The economy isn’t expected to pick up signif- icantly, and I think that’s going to hold us in this pat- tern of slow growth, stabil- ity to slow growth,” said Jeff Schuster, senior vice presi- dent of forecasting for LMC Automotive. Pent-up demand helped October sales. Inventories of Japanese cars are getting close to normal, so car shop- pers who spent the summer waiting for them to reappear on dealer lots could finally buy them in October. Honda Motor Co. sales were flat compared to last October, while Toyota Motor Corp. sales fell 8 percent. That still beat the double- digit drops the companies saw over the summer. Sales of the Accord sedan, Honda’s best seller, were up 5 percent from a year ago. Toyota said sales of its subcompact Yaris more than doubled. Bob Carter, Toyota’s U.S. sales chief, said the com- pany still expects to post year-over-year sales gains before the end of this year. He said dealers lost sales in October because of low supplies of Corolla sedans, but more Corollas from Toy- ota’s new plant in Missis- sippi are now on their way to dealers. Japanese carmakers still face issues in Thai- land, where flooding shut down some of their suppli- ers. Honda has already cut North American production through Nov. 10 because of flooding-related parts short- ages. The strong yen is also hurting profits, compound- ing their problems. Also cutting into prof- its are the deals Japanese automakers are offering to get buyers back into show- rooms. Auto information site TrueCar.com said Hon- da raised its incentives by 18 percent to an average of $2,380 per vehicle, while Nissan Motor Co.’s incen- tives were up 15 percent to $2,917. The average incen- tive for the industry was $2,669 per vehicle. “This is the time of the year when consumers are more dialed in to the deals,” said Jesse Toprak, TrueCar’s vice president of industry trends and insights. Toyota said Tuesday that it will kick off its annual year-end sales event early. Although the marketing sur- rounding the “Toyotathon” and Lexus “December to Remember” sales events won’t start until closer to Thanksgiving, the deals will be available to shop- pers immediately, Carter said. Detroit automakers bare- ly increased their incentive spending in October, but they did shift their market- ing to trucks, a typical move during football season. Truck buyers paid atten- tion. Ford Motor Co. said sales of its Explorer SUV more than tripled from a year ago, while F-Series truck sales were up 7 per- cent. Ford’s overall sales were up 6 percent from a year ago, even though its car sales fell 8 percent. Chrysler’s sales rose 27 percent. Ram pickup truck sales jumped 21 percent. Sales of the new Dodge Dur- ango also were strong. General Motors Co.’s sales were up 2 percent. Sales of the Chevrolet Silvera- do pickup rose 11 percent. And the compact Chevrolet Cruze continues to post big gains a year after its intro- duction, with October sales nearly tripling. Toprak said snowy weath- er on the East Coast may have pulled ahead truck and SUV sales from later in the year. Car sales typi- cally fall as buyers gear up for the winter. But Ken Czubay, Ford’s vice president for U.S. sales, said car buyers also are increasingly shifting back to small SUVs and wagons, since gas prices are holding steady. Gas now averages $3.44 per gallon across the country, down from a peak near $4 in May, but still up 64 cents from a year earlier. Other automakers report- ing results Tuesday: n Nissan said sales were up 18 percent, thanks to big increases for the Alti- ma sedan and Rogue cross- over. n Hyundai Motor Co. said sales rose 23 percent to 545,316, besting its full-year sales record from 2010. Sales of the new Elantra small car were up 37 percent. n Volkswagen AG said sales rose 40 percent, led by a 52 percent increase for the new Jetta sedan. By Dee-Ann Durbin and Tom Krisher The Associated Press Top-selling cArs AnD TrucKs in ocToBer Automakers announced their October U.S. sales on Tuesday. Below are the best-selling cars and trucks in the U.S., and how sales compared to last October. vehicle numBer solD % chAnge from ocT. 2010 Ford F-Series 52,511 7.1 percent Chevrolet Silverado 36,656 6.9 percent Honda Accord 22,589 5.3 percent Toyota Camry 22,043 -11.9 percent Nissan Altima 21,838 15.1 percent Ram 21,037 21.5 percent Honda CR-V 19,326 7.1 percent Ford Escape 19,046 30.6 percent Hyundai Sonata 18,192 3.9 percent Ford Fusion 18,094 4.2 percent -The Associated Press

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Page 1: On the Move

Monday, November 7, 2011 For Advertising Information Contact Your Local Cars.Com On-The-Move Sales Team at 599-2329

Trucks, SUVs power strong Oct. auto salesDETROIT — Fans of SUVs

and trucks shoved car buy-ers aside last month, helping the auto industry to its best October in four years.

The shift was a boon for Detroit’s automakers, who posted sizeable increases in sales of pickups like the Ram and Chevy Silvera-do, big SUVs like the Ford Explorer and compact mod-els like the Ford Escape.

While car sales have lost momentum from ear-lier in the year, some com-panies, including Hyundai and Volkswagen, continue to post impressive numbers and steal away their share of small car sales. Toyota and Honda, for years the category leaders, contin-ue to struggle with short-ages related to the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

U.S. car and truck sales rose 8 percent from last October to 1.02 million, making this the best Octo-ber since 2007, before the recession hit. Sales are now tracking at a pace similar to the start of this year, before the earthquake and tsunami cut off supplies, according to Autodata Corp. Analysts expect them to stay at that pace through the rest of this year and into 2012.

“The economy isn’t expected to pick up signif-icantly, and I think that’s going to hold us in this pat-tern of slow growth, stabil-ity to slow growth,” said Jeff Schuster, senior vice presi-dent of forecasting for LMC

Automotive.Pent-up demand helped

October sales. Inventories of Japanese cars are getting close to normal, so car shop-pers who spent the summer waiting for them to reappear on dealer lots could finally buy them in October.

Honda Motor Co. sales were flat compared to last October, while Toyota Motor Corp. sales fell 8 percent. That still beat the double-digit drops the companies saw over the summer. Sales of the Accord sedan, Honda’s best seller, were up 5 percent from a year ago. Toyota said sales of its subcompact Yaris more than doubled.

Bob Carter, Toyota’s U.S.

sales chief, said the com-pany still expects to post year-over-year sales gains before the end of this year. He said dealers lost sales in October because of low supplies of Corolla sedans, but more Corollas from Toy-ota’s new plant in Missis-sippi are now on their way to dealers.

Japanese carmakers still face issues in Thai-land, where flooding shut down some of their suppli-ers. Honda has already cut North American production through Nov. 10 because of flooding-related parts short-ages. The strong yen is also hurting profits, compound-ing their problems.

Also cutting into prof-its are the deals Japanese automakers are offering to get buyers back into show-rooms. Auto information site TrueCar.com said Hon-da raised its incentives by 18 percent to an average of $2,380 per vehicle, while Nissan Motor Co.’s incen-tives were up 15 percent to $2,917. The average incen-tive for the industry was $2,669 per vehicle.

“This is the time of the year when consumers are more dialed in to the deals,” said Jesse Toprak, TrueCar’s vice president of industry trends and insights.

Toyota said Tuesday that it will kick off its annual

year-end sales event early. Although the marketing sur-rounding the “Toyotathon” and Lexus “December to Remember” sales events won’t start until closer to Thanksgiving, the deals will be available to shop-pers immediately, Carter said.

Detroit automakers bare-ly increased their incentive spending in October, but they did shift their market-ing to trucks, a typical move during football season.

Truck buyers paid atten-tion. Ford Motor Co. said sales of its Explorer SUV more than tripled from a year ago, while F-Series truck sales were up 7 per-

cent. Ford’s overall sales were up 6 percent from a year ago, even though its car sales fell 8 percent.

Chrysler’s sales rose 27 percent. Ram pickup truck sales jumped 21 percent. Sales of the new Dodge Dur-ango also were strong.

General Motors Co.’s sales were up 2 percent. Sales of the Chevrolet Silvera-do pickup rose 11 percent. And the compact Chevrolet Cruze continues to post big gains a year after its intro-duction, with October sales nearly tripling.

Toprak said snowy weath-er on the East Coast may have pulled ahead truck and SUV sales from later in the year. Car sales typi-cally fall as buyers gear up for the winter.

But Ken Czubay, Ford’s vice president for U.S. sales, said car buyers also are increasingly shifting back to small SUVs and wagons, since gas prices are holding steady. Gas now averages $3.44 per gallon across the country, down from a peak near $4 in May, but still up 64 cents from a year earlier.

Other automakers report-ing results Tuesday:

n Nissan said sales were up 18 percent, thanks to big increases for the Alti-ma sedan and Rogue cross-over.

n Hyundai Motor Co. said sales rose 23 percent to 545,316, besting its full-year sales record from 2010. Sales of the new Elantra small car were up 37 percent.

n Volkswagen AG said sales rose 40 percent, led by a 52 percent increase for the new Jetta sedan.

By Dee-Ann Durbin and Tom KrisherThe Associated Press

Top-selling cArs AnD TrucKs in ocToBerAutomakers announced their October U.S. sales on Tuesday. Below are the best-selling cars and trucks in the U.S., and how sales compared to last October.

vehicle numBer solD % chAnge from ocT. 2010

Ford F-Series 52,511 7.1 percentChevrolet Silverado 36,656 6.9 percentHonda Accord 22,589 5.3 percentToyota Camry 22,043 -11.9 percentNissan Altima 21,838 15.1 percentRam 21,037 21.5 percentHonda CR-V 19,326 7.1 percent Ford Escape 19,046 30.6 percentHyundai Sonata 18,192 3.9 percentFord Fusion 18,094 4.2 percent

-The Associated Press

Page 2: On the Move

Page 2 / Monday, November 7, 2011 Tallahassee Democrat / OnTheMOve

Behind the wheel of the 2012 Infiniti M56, on a 180-mile trek up the Florida coast, couldn’t have been a more pleasurable experience. Yes, there was the cute blonde in the Lexus GS who smiled as she passed on the left, but let us not even go there.

Besides, the M56 and its 5.6-liter, 420-hp powerplant could have eaten them for lunch.

The midsize luxury-sport sedan is a terrific value, too, loaded with standard features like navigation system and 10-speaker Bose sound. And new this year on the M56X models is an all-wheel-drive that offers maximum grip for the lousy weather days.

This is a car that last year was completely reconceived inside and out: brash good looks with a chassis that is longer, wider and lower; more comforts inside; and a pair of new engines — both more powerful yet more efficient than before.

Then they upped the ante on the Sport package, combin-ing the athletic external fea-tures, like a more aggressive front fascia and dark-finish grille, with the sport-tuning package of enhanced suspen-sion and brakes. Four-wheel active steering makes the M56 more nimble on the corners.

From the driver’s seat, I love looking at the sloping waves of the hood and fend-ers.

Some say the M56 is all well and good, but who needs it? The M37 is just fine, they say, and offers plenty of pull with its 3.7-liter 330-hp pow-ertrain. Do you really need more?

That’s a judgment call, but I say 90 more horses with the 5.6-liter of the M56 and 147 more pound-feet of torque offers a very persuasive argu-

ment. Turn the knob to “Sport”

mode and the M56 loves to run and does it with qui-et confidence, not the rum-bling varoom that is music to some ears but others — can you spell w-i-f-e? — simply hate. Zero to 60 takes place swiftly in 5 seconds.

Turn to “Eco” mode and improve fuel economy but then the fun factor takes a hit.

EPA estimates put average mileage at 19 mpg combined — that’s 16 in the city but a decent 25 on the open road.

Loaded with the 4-wheel Active Steer, sport suspen-sion and 20-inch wheels, the rear-wheel-drive M56 takes command on the road and handles admirably. The ride is on the firm side, which is fine for the sport driver but may annoy those seeking dai-ly comfort.

Braking is secure but I was slightly annoyed with a recur-ring feel of pulsating stops. Maybe it was just the 7-speed automatic tranny making its way through the downshifts, or an ABS issue.

Magnesium paddle shift-

ers are available on the Sport package, but they’re attached close to the column, and I sometimes pinched my fingers when turning the wheel.

But the interior is elegant and refined, highlighted by an unusual Japanese ash wood trim finished with a silvery lacquer. Very nice touch, very original. It adorns the dash and center console, and sweeps around the dash and doors.

Infiniti took this interior to the max: Beyond its fabulous look, the fit and finish is sim-ply exquisite.

Seats are of diamond-quilt-ed leather with contrasting trim and are plush and com-fortable. A fake-suede head-liner nevertheless looks and feels rich.

Legroom is plentiful in front and in the rear, too.

And there’s plenty to enjoy in the way of luxury ameni-ties, like 10-way adjustable front seats, Bose Studio Sur-round system with 10 speak-ers, Bluetooth, keyless entry and navigation with rear-view monitor.

The M56 comes in a well-

equipped single trim, if you consider the 37 as a separate animal — and you should.

A “Deluxe Touring Pack-age” offers finer leather inside and 16 speakers in the Bose system, power rear sunshade and an air-purifying Forest Air system. The Sport pack-age adds some aggression, as well as 20-inch tires and sport brakes.

And a technology package enhances safety with lane-departure warning and pre-vention, forward-collision warning with brake assist, and blind-spot warning. Standard safety features include ABS, stability and traction control and side-curtain air bags.

If you’re stuck on having a Bimmer or Mercedes logo in your driveway, the M56 may sway that desire. If you’re looking for a well-built, high-end performer that’s a pret-ty good value, too, the M56 has more standard features than either of those German guys.

I can’t promise a pret-ty lady driving by with a smile, but I can bet she’d be impressed with your ride.

By Barry SpykerMcClatchy News Service

2012 Infiniti M56: Powerful, bold, and good looks, too

InfInItI/MCt

The 2012 Infiniti M56 loves to run and does it with quiet confidence.

Watch the Buick Verano carefully. The upscale com-pact car will say a lot about whether General Motors’ global strategy works. It’s a glimpse of GM’s plan for two key brands on three continents.

In assembly plants from metro Detroit’s Orion Town-ship to China and Europe, thousands of jobs hinge on the car’s success. With substantial tweaks for each region, the car is the Buick Verano in North America, Buick Excelle in China and Opel Astra in Europe.

The Verano rolls into U.S. Buick dealerships starting in December.

GM has been reinvent-ing Buick for what feels like decades, but it may have finally hit on a for-mula that works: a quiet, upscale interior and exte-rior looks and performance that have high-end appeal without Cadillac’s in-your-face brashness.

Until now, we had only two examples to define Buick’s new passenger-car line: the LaCrosse and Regal. They’re fine vehicles, but lousy data points. The two sedans are too close in size and price to reveal much about Buick’s plan.

With the Verano as Buick’s third car, we can begin to triangulate and understand the brand’s aspi-rations and appeal.

The Verano will come with standard features like a sophisticated new system that combines a touch screen with voice-recognition control of phone, audio and naviga-tion systems. There’s also a heavy emphasis on what you might call subliminal comfort features: unobtru-sive, even unnoticeable fea-tures that make the Verano a pleasant place to spend

your time. Keeping the interior qui-

et is Job 1, 2 and 3 at Buick. A quiet ride contributes dis-proportionately to drivers’ perception of a car’s qual-ity and value. The Verano’s windshield and front-side windows use extra-thick glass that is laminated to shut out noise.

The rear windows also use thicker glass. Automak-ers frequently ignore the rear windows because they don’t affect the driver.

Sound insulation, from thicker windows to under-body aero panels and pad-ding between the engine and the passenger com-partment, adds weight. That reduced fuel econ-omy, but Buick willing-ly made the trade-off to ensure the Verano feels and sounds like a classy, high-end car.

It could afford to do that because the Verano’s key competitors — the Audi A3 and Volvo C30 — are old and not particularly fuel-efficient. The Verano’s expected EPA rating of 31 mpg on the highway beats their comparably equipped models.

A couple of technolo-gies Buick’s overseas allies already use may, howev-er. The Verano could offer either the eAssist electric boost system Buick uses in the Regal and LaCrosse in China — and soon here — or a fuel-efficient Opel diesel. Either alternative should push the Verano over 40 mpg.

In the meantime, Buick will give the Verano per-formance appeal with a high-output 2.0-liter turbo-charged engine next year.

A sporty model styled like the dynamic new Opel Astra GTC could also be in the works to liven things up as Buick reaches around the world to craft a mod-ern new identity.

By Mark PhelanDetroit Free Press

Look no further than Buick Verano to gauge GM’s global strategy

Page 3: On the Move

OnTheMOve / Tallahassee Democrat Monday, November 7, 2011 / Page 3

TD-0000190738

Page 4: On the Move

Page 4 / Monday, November 7, 2011 Tallahassee Democrat / OnTheMOve

Under The Hood: Treacherous brakes unnerve driver

QUESTION: My wife was driving her 1999 CR-V in city traffic, and when it was necessary to stop she found the brake pedal went to the floor. She swerved, went up on the sidewalk and hit another car, superficially. Before the repair, the CR-V had normal maintenance done with all fluids serviced.

The brakes were inspect-ed by two repair shops after-wards, and neither could duplicate the condition or find anything that could have caused it via inspection. She is now afraid to drive it, as am I. What should be done? She recalls the parking brake may not have been fully released. Could this have caused the problem?

—Bob R. ANSWER: I can under-

stand your concerns. It’s unthinkable to drive the vehi-cle until the cause is identified and repaired. This is a highly unusual problem, and we will get to the bottom of it.

Your CR-V employs a dual/diagonal hydraulic brak-ing system with anti-lock enhancement. Dual/diago-nal means the system is split into two separate systems to enhance reliability. Should a hydraulic hose or compo-nent fail, the driver may lose the function of one front and one rear wheel’s brakes, but the other two would be unaf-fected. This would still be an alarming situation; the brake pedal would require much greater force — and would sink much lower — to bring the vehicle to a stop. Does your wife recall if the pedal truly sank to the floor, or could it have been part-way and required unantici-

pated additional effort? Did either the red brake or amber ABS warning light illumi-nate? During this absolutely unnerving incident, it would be hard for anyone to be cer-tain of the specifics.

Leaving the parking brake partially on could be a factor, as excessive heat would be built up in the rear brakes, which can be transferred to the fluid in both sides of the diagonal system. As brake flu-id ages, it attracts moisture, and with sufficient heat, this

moisture can boil and vapor-ize. Vapor can be compressed, unlike normal brake fluid, which could cause the pedal to go to the floor and a loss of brakes. This is a long-shot theory, as the rear brakes, upon inspection, would have likely shown signs of severe overheating.

Your mention of the flu-ids being previously ser-viced gives me a creepy feeling. If the brake fluid were thoroughly flushed with approved fluid, this

would rule out the previ-ous scenario. If the brake fluid were topped off with an incorrect petroleum-based fluid, such as power steer-ing fluid or motor oil, that could wreak havoc on the hydraulic system’s critical rubber seals. Even a small quantity of incorrect fluid can cause the master cylin-der and brake caliper seals to swell and fail, resulting in catastrophic failure.

I recommend taking a sample of brake fluid from

the master cylinder reser-voir and having it analyzed for contamination. Herguth Laboratories (888-437-4884, www.herguth.com) is a highly respected firm specializing in this service.

Should the fluid be con-taminated, replacement of all hydraulic parts containing rubber seals will be required along with a thorough system flushing; the ABS system’s many hydraulic nooks and crannies makes this compli-cated.

If the fluid sample comes up clean, replacement of the master cylinder is the best course of action, as it is the only likely compo-nent to cause a full system failure. The ABS system is not a strong suspect, unless a bizarre failure and, most likely, an illuminated ABS warning light had occurred while driving.

By Brad BergholdtMcClatchy-Tribune News Service

Two Florida men ordered to prison in telemarketing scam

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — Two former Florida-based telemarketing executives have been sentenced to five-year prison terms for pitch-ing $40 million in bogus auto-service warranties through unsolicited calls fielded by recipients from a U.S. senator to a state’s top law enforcer and people who didn’t even have cars.

A federal judge also fined Christopher Cowart, 50, of Fort Lauderdale, and Cris Sagnelli, 46, of Boca Raton, $15,000 apiece on Monday and ordered them to spend five years on post-prison supervised release.

Both men had pleaded guilty last December to a felony count of using a ficti-tious name as part of a mail-fraud scheme they carried out while doing business as Transcontinental Warranty Inc., which the U.S. govern-

ment said in court filings was behind unwanted sales calls “blasted to every corner of the United States.” Recipients of the pitches included a U.S. senator during a committee meeting, Indiana’s attorney general and consumers on the Federal Trade Commission’s “Do Not Call” registry.

“Transcontinental War-ranty was at the forefront of this onslaught on the con-sumer’s peace and tranquil-ity, assaulting the consum-er’s right to be let alone,” the U.S. government’s sentenc-ing memorandum alleged.

Prosecutors have said Transcontinental Warranty — with Cowart as its presi-dent and Sagnelli as vice president — ran the scheme from June 2007 until a feder-al judge in Chicago ordered it to halt the use of deceptive “robo-calls” warning people their auto warranties were expiring and offering to sell them new service plans. That injunction followed a

lawsuit against Transcon-tinental and another com-pany by the Federal Trade Commission seeking to halt a wave of as many as 1 bil-lion automated, random, pre-recorded calls about auto-service warranties.

Cowart and Sagnelli were “driven by greed,” said southern Illinois’ top federal prosecutor, Steven Wigginton.

“The scheme was like a

tsunami of consumer calls,” pitching the bogus warran-ties to homes while over-whelming businesses and even targeting government offices in all 50 states and several other countries, Wig-ginton has said.

The U.S. government’s pursuit of Transcontinen-tal marked one of many Florida-based telemarket-ing schemes to be prosecut-ed by southern Illinois’ U.S.

Attorney’s office, which spe-cializes in the often-com-plex matters. Eight other people have been brought up on federal charges in the area for their roles in sell-ing bogus time-share deals that bilked $30 million from more than 22,000 victims across North America and Puerto Rico.

According to court docu-ments, automated calls from a company Transcontinental hired told consumers their vehicle’s factory warranty would expire or soon lapse, then transferred people to Transcontinental telemar-keters who falsely said they were staffing the “Warranty Service Center.” But Trans-continental had no affilia-tion with automakers and no ability to extend or reinstate the manufacturer’s warran-ty. Instead, they sold third-party “vehicle service con-tracts.”

Where Transcontinental went wrong, Wigginton has

said, is that it led people to believe the calls were on behalf of automakers and used a fictitious name in dealings with consumers. The company also suggested it was capable of extending or reinstating warranties and that the product being sold was an actual warran-ty instead of a service con-tract, which often includes a waiting period for the repair and allows repair shops to use replacement parts from junkyards.

“These businessmen learned the consequences of operating a scam on Ameri-can consumers,” after ulti-mately selling more than 15,000 questioned warranty contracts, Wigginton said. “This sentence should send a message loud and clear to other businessmen who prey on innocent consumers with these type of scams that we will come after you and in the end you will be facing a lengthy prison sentence.”

By Jim SuhrThe Associated Press

“These businessmen learned the con-sequences of operating a scam on American consumers ... This sentence should send a message loud and clear to other businessmen who prey on innocent consumers with these type of scams that we will come after you and in the end you will be facing a lengthy prison sentence.”Steven Wiggintonfederal prosecutor

As brake fluid ages, it attracts moisture, and with suf-ficient heat, this moisture can boil and vaporize. Vapor can be compressed, unlike normal brake fluid, which could cause the pedal to go to the floor and a loss of brakes. This is a long-shot theory, as the rear brakes, upon inspection, would have likely shown signs of severe overheating.

Page 5: On the Move

OnTheMOve / Tallahassee Democrat Monday, November 7, 2011 / Page 5

TD-0000190737TD-0000190737

A/C, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer, AM/FM Radio,PW, Leather Upholstery.

‘11 CHEVROLETCorvette

$59,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

5.3L V8, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise, PS.

‘11 GMC Sierra1500

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ChampionChevrolet

A/C, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise.

‘10 CHEVROLETCamaro

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8 Cylinder, A/C, SplitFolding Rear Seat, 2WD4DR, ABS, Rear AirConditioning.

‘07 CADILLACEscalade

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5.3L V8, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW.

‘07 CHEVROLETAvalanche

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‘10 CHEVROLETTraverse

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6.0L V8, A/C, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FMRadio, PW, Cruise,Spd-Proportional PowerSteering.

‘09 PONTIAC G8

$27,9951-888-700-0213

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A/C, Split Folding RearSeat, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise.

‘11 VOLKSWAGENCC

$26,9881-888-700-0213

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6.0L V8, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW.

‘06 CADILLACEscalade ESV

$25,9881-888-700-0213

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A/C, Split Folding RearSeat, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise, PS.

‘10 CHEVROLETSilverado 1500

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5.3L V8, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, ABS, TiltWheel, CD Player, AM/FMRadio, PW, PL.

‘07 CHEVROLETAvalanche

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A/C, Split Folding RearSeat, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise, PS.

‘07 VOLVO XC90

$23,9881-888-700-0213

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3.0L I6, A/C, 4DRSDN, ABS, Rear AirConditioning.

‘08 BMW 3 Series

$23,9881-888-700-0213

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3.5L V6, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW.

‘08 LINCOLN MKZ

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3.5L V6, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW, PDL.

‘10 PONTIAC G6

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5.7L V8, A/C, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PS.

‘07 DODGE Ram1500

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‘10 TOYOTACamry

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‘10 CHEVROLETMalibu

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3.5L V6, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW.

‘08 FORD Taurus

$17,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

A/C, Split Folding RearSeat, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer, AM/FM Radio,PW, PS.

‘10 KIA Soul

$16,1001-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

5.4L V8, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise, PS.

‘04 FORD F-150

$15,5881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

Split Folding Rear Seat,Tilt Wheel, AM/FM Radio,PS.

‘09 CHEVROLETAveo

$13,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

3.8L V6, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise.

‘07 KIA Sedona

$12,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

A/C, Split Folding RearSeat, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise.

‘03 FORD Taurus

$6,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

Page 6: On the Move

Page 6 / Monday, November 7, 2011 Tallahassee Democrat / OnTheMOve

Q&A: Should you balance and rotate your tires every 5,000 miles?

QUESTION: I bought a ser-vice contract for alignment at my local tire store and every time I take my SUV in for my 5,000-mile align-ment they tell me I need to have the tires balanced and rotated. I know the steering wheel shakes when the tires are out of balance, and when it’s out of alignment, the car pulls to one side. How often should I have the tires bal-anced and rotated?

—P.D. ANSWER: It sounds like

the tire store is subsidizing those alignments with bal-

ance and rotation — and I’d be willing to bet your con-tract specifies an alignment check every 5,000 miles, and not necessarily a complete alignment.

You’ll find tire-company recommendations for rota-tion that range from every 3,000 miles to 15,000 miles. The best interval is proba-bly somewhere in between, at about 7,500 miles, unless the tread on one or more of your tires is wearing differ-ently from the rest.

Michelin, for instance, suggests rotating tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. I won’t re-balance a tire unless I notice odd wear patterns or,

as you mention, feel a vibra-tion. An alignment check every 5,000 miles may be a good idea if you regularly drive rough, potholed roads, but I don’t, so every 10,000 miles or so works for me.

Q: I had a Ford rental car that had no gas cap — you just stick the gas pump nozzle in. I didn’t know that until I called the rental com-pany and complained that the gas cap was missing. Is this common now?

—A.L. A: It is with Ford prod-

ucts, and it seems to work fine. It probably would have been a good thing for the rental agent to mention.

By Steven Cole SmithThe Orlando Sentinel

Teen drivers most at risk in first month on the roadORLANDO — The sta-

tistic, provided by AAA, is sobering: Teen drivers are approximately 50 percent more likely to crash in the first month of having their license than they are after a full year of experience driv-ing on their own, according to a new study.

Sobering, but maybe not surprising, said John Pec-chio, Tampa, Fla.-based manager of AAA Traffic Safety.

“When a teenager gets a learner’s permit, typically he or she is riding with par-ents or other adults, usually in the daytime, in reduced traffic areas, on familiar roads — for the most part, we’re finding that it is usu-ally to and from school,” Pec-chio said.

“But once they get their license, they move on to that next phase: they are often unsupervised, their night-time driving increases, they travel more on unfamiliar routes, and they often have peers in the cars with them,

which adds to the distraction. All that plays a large part in explaining that statistic.”

Pecchio cites a study that found 57 percent of the crashes that involved teen drivers in their first month behind the wheel typical-ly involved three common mistakes: Failure to reduce speed, inattention and fail-ure to yield.

Once a teen gains some experience, crashes declined in number and frequency. According to the study: “The high initial rate and subse-quent steep decline in certain types of crashes appeared to reflect teens’ initial inex-perience followed by rapid learning. Crash types that decline more lowly appear to result not from lack of understanding, but from fail-ure to master certain driv-ing skills.”

A separate AAA Foun-dation study used in-vehi-cle cameras to monitor just-licensed teens driving without supervision, and footage showed sometimes troubling changes in driv-ing habits: Cameras record-

ed “a number of close calls due to simple mistakes likely attributable to inexperience, along with a few instances of texting behind the wheel, horseplay with passengers, running red lights and oth-er potentially distracting or dangerous behaviors.”

Pecchio and AAA offer several suggestions to help teens transition safely from supervised to unsupervised driving:

n Practice: Even after teens have a license, par-ents and teens should con-tinue to practice together to ensure that basic skills are mastered and to introduce the teen to varied driving conditions like heavy traf-fic and rural roads.

n Limit passengers: Teen drivers’ crash risks multiply with the number of teenage passengers in the vehicle.

n Limit night driving: Reduced visibility makes night driving riskier for inexperienced teens.

n Set rules: Parents can — and should — set and enforce rules above and beyond their state laws, including limits on driving at night, in bad weather or other conditions that are tough on drivers with limited experience.

AAA has a website — http://teendriving.aaa.com — that has not only state rules and regulations, but also a two-page “contract.” The agreement, designed to be reviewed and signed

by a teen and parents, sug-gests what sort of driving privileges a teen can expect, and what sort of penalty the teen should incur if there are violations.

That allows parents and teens to decide in advance what sort of consequences teen drivers might face if, for example, they receive a speeding ticket or allow passengers to ride without seatbelts.

At any stage, Pecchio stresses that parents must play a strong and recurring role in supervising their teen’s driving. “They play the leading role,” he said, “in keeping their kids safe.”

Pecchio suggested that parents consider a private driving school, rather than public driver education, to teach their teens. If you decide to send your teen to a private driving school, make sure to pick one that has a specific curriculum for teen drivers. It’s also a good idea to check out the school itself — its instructors should be certified, and the cars the instructors use should

have a dual set of controls and carry a separate state permit for use as a driving instruction vehicle, as well as proof of current insur-ance. Reputable schools will provide references, prefer-ably from parents who have sent their teens through the training.

Many insurance compa-nies will offer discounts to teen drivers if they have completed driver training. Check with your insurance company, and if they offer the discount, make sure the school you choose is autho-rized to provide the appro-priate paperwork.

School prices vary con-siderably — factors include whether or not your teen is getting one-on-one instruc-tion, or sharing the car with an instructor and two or three other students. Find out if the instructor will pick up the teen at home, or if parents need to deliver the student to the school? Some schools will even take teens to the state driving test, and provide a school car for the test itself.

By Steven Cole SmithThe Orlando Sentinel

Buddy Norris/Newport News daily press/MCt

Pecchio cites a study that found 57 percent of the crashes that involved teen drivers in their first month behind the wheel typically involved three common mistakes: Failure to reduce speed, inattention and failure to yield.

Page 7: On the Move

OnTheMOve / Tallahassee Democrat Monday, November 7, 2011 / Page 7

Certified Used. Stock#P828. 33,404 Miles. 5DR. 6-Speed Automatic.DOHC 24V V6.

‘08 MAZDA CX-9GRAND TOURING

$24,9951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Stock #2433A. 72,106Miles. CREW CAB.4-Speed Automatic.VORTEC FLEX FUEL V8.

‘07 GMC SIERRA1500 4WD

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Convertible. Stock#2285A. 33,140 Miles.2 DR. 6-Speed Manual.DOHC 16V I-4.

‘08 MAZDA MX-5Miata Touring

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Stock #P855. 71,002Miles. 5 DR. 6-SpeedAutomatic. DOHC 24VV6.

‘07 MAZDA CX-9SPORT

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Stock #P859. 35,075Miles. 4 DR. 5-SpeedAutomatic. V6.

‘08 HONDAACCORD EX

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Convertible. Stock #P852.32,014 Miles. 2 DR. 6-Speed Automatic. DOHC16 Valve I-4.

‘06 MAZDA MX-5Miata Sport

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Gem Mazda

Certified Used. Stock#P844. 32,181 Miles. 4DR. 5-Speed Automatic.DOHC 16V I-4.

‘08 MAZDA 6 ITOUR

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Stock #2556B. 50,512Miles. 5 DR. 4-SpeedAutomatic. DOHC 16V-I-VTEC.

‘06 HONDAElement EX-P

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Stock #2372A. 43,754Miles. 5 DR. 6-SpeedAutomatic. TURBO DISI16V I-4.

‘08 MAZDA CX-7Sport

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Stock #2214B. 57,455Miles. 4 DR. 5-SpeedManual. SOHC I VTEC16-VALVE I-4.

‘07 HONDA CIVICEX

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Stock #P836. 74,555Miles. 2 DR. 6-SpeedManual. DOHC VTEC I-4.

‘05 HONDA S2000

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Stock #P858. 47,182Miles. 4 DR. CVTAutomatic. DOHC 16V I-4.

‘08 NISSANALTIMA S

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Stock #2508A. 47,164Miles. 4 DR. 4-SpeedAutomatic. DOHC 16V I-4.

‘08 MAZDA 3 ITouring

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Stock #P841. 35,994Miles. 4 DR. 4-SpeedAutomatic. DOHC 24VVVT-I I-4.

‘09 TOYOTACOROLLA XLE

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Gem Mazda

Stock #P862. 21,872Miles. 4 DR. 5-SpeedAutomatic. DOHC 16V1-4.

‘07 MAZDA 6 ISPORT

$13,9951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Certified Used. Stock#P803. 35,203 Miles. 4DR. 4-Speed Automatic.DOHC 16V I-4.

‘08 MAZDA 3 ISPORT

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Stock #2485A. 37,441Miles. 5 DR. 4-SpeedAutomatic. SOHC 12-Valve V6.

‘04 NISSANXTERRA SE

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Gem Mazda

LAREDO. Stock# 2599A.84,058 Miles. 5 DR. 5-Speed Automatic. SOHCV8.

‘06 JEEP GRANDCHEROKEE

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Stock #2605A. 93,810Miles. 5 DR. 4-SpeedAutomatic. DOHC VVT-II-4.

‘04 TOYOTAHighlander

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Stock #2613A. 68,446Miles. 4 DR. ECVT-Automatic. DOHCVVT-I-4.

‘04 TOYOTA PriusBase

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Stock #P860. 73,855Miles. 4 DR. 5-SpeedManual. DOHC 16V 4-Cyl.

‘07 MAZDA 3 2.3 SSPORT

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Stock #2479B. 85,707Miles. 5 DR. 4-SpeedAutomatic. OHV V6.

‘06 BUICKRENDEZVOUS CX

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Stock #2471A. 114,263Miles. 5 DR. 4-SpeedAutomatic. I-VTEC DOHC4-Cylinder.

‘02 HONDA CR-VEX

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Stock #P837A. 145,736Miles. 4 DR. 4-SpeedAutomatic. SOHC 4-Cylinder.

‘01 HONDA CivicLX

$5,9951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

TD-0000190739

Page 8: On the Move

Page 8 / Monday, November 7, 2011 Tallahassee Democrat / OnTheMOve

2.5L I4, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise.

‘11 NISSAN Altima

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3.5L V6, A/C, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise, PS.

‘08 LINCOLN MKX

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‘06 TOYOTAHighlander

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‘09 ACURA TSX

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‘08 VOLKSWAGENEos

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‘06 HONDA Accord

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A/C, Split Folding RearSeat, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise, PS.

‘10 CHRYSLER 300

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‘07 ACURA RDX

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4.0L V6, A/C, AlloyWheels, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer.

‘10 FORD Explorer

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‘06 TOYOTASequoia

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A/C, Split Folding RearSeat, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer, AM/FM Radio,PW, PDL, Cruise, PS.

‘06 HONDAElement

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4.0L V6, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW, PDL, PS.

‘08 TOYOTATacoma

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‘08 MAZDA Mazda6

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‘08 BUICKLaCrosse

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1.8L I4, A/C, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise, PS.

‘08 HONDA Civic

$14,988(850)57-65165Proctor Honda

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‘05 LEXUS LS 430

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‘09 CHEVROLETMalibu

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‘08 JEEP Liberty

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5.4L V8, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise, PS.

‘06 FORDExpedition

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‘09 TOYOTACamry

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‘06 MERCURYMariner

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‘07 TOYOTACamry

$16,789(850)57-65165Proctor Honda

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‘98 HONDA Accord

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‘04 TOYOTACamry Solara

$12,565866-938-4963Proctor Acura

WhatDrives You? The Proctor Dealerships... moving you through life since 191o!

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