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B10 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday A ugust 14, 2002 TEST D RIV E (CCC)-- K a-thunk! T here it goes again, that noise that tells you your car is about to shed som ething cru cial in m id-m o rn in g traffic! You need a good m echanic-- and fast! Rule num ber one for finding a good m echanic: d o n 't w ait until you're desperate for help. Finding a m echanic you trust is like finding a doctor or a m inister-- you need to build a relationship based on trust and m utual respect. T hese th in g s d o n 't happeii overnight. M ost o f the business for a repair garage is from referrals. The only way to get referral business is from satisfied custom ers. So if you are looking for a new m echanic, ask around. A sk your friends, relatives, business associates, church m em b ers-- an y o n e you can th in k of. You'll probably get a m ore reliable feel for w h o 's good and w h o 's bad from a consensus o f several opin ions than from one person. If you get a chance, drop in and m eet the people w ho w ill be w ork ing on your car. Is the shop tidy and w ell organized? Do they have the latest com puter equipm ent? Is there evidence that the m echanics in the shop take regular training courses in the latest technology? OAKVILLE Find good mechanic in advance of problems The days o f the m echanic under the hood w ith a screw driver, tuning things until they sing ju st right, are a distant memory. Now, they have to be co m p u ter litera te tec h n icia n s, in te rp retin g the c o m m u n icatio n s betw een the on-board com puter sys tem and the diagnostic com puters in the shop. W hether you go to an independ ent garage, a departm ent store or a franchised repair centre d o esn 't m at ter all that m uch. In the end, it all com es dow n to trust. Y ou're lo oking fo r som ebody w ho is w illing to tell you w hich repairs should be m ade im m ediately, w hich can be delay ed w ith o u t affecting safety and w hich are com p letely o p tio n al fo r p erfo rm an ce upgrades. A good m echanic w ill also be fair in charging for tim e-- for exam ple, if h e 's tracing an electrical fault and it takes longer than it should because he is unfam iliar with your m odel o f car, h e'll reduce the hours. Car Care C anada notes that you can help the m echanic to help you, too. W hen you take your car in w ith a problem , tell the m echanic w hat the sym ptom s are (not w hat you think the problem is). D escrib e w h eth er it happens w hen the car is w arm or cold, at highw ay speeds or in the city, stop ping or accelerating. G et to know your car, too. R ead through the o w n er's m anual so you know w hat to expect. Turn off your stereo once in a w hile and listen to the sound o f your car w hen it's healthy, so y o u 're b etter able to notice w hen it needs help. A nd if y o u 're really enthusiastic, sign up for a night course at the high school, or look for a car care clinic at som e o f your local repair facilities. W hat you learn could save you quite a few dollars dow n the road. -- C a r C are C an a d a Don't be fooled by car wax . gimmicks . (W M S) Whether the latest luxury edition, a classic roadster or the reliable "family mobile," all vehicles should be cared for in the same manner to ensure they run efficiently, last throughout the years and have a flawless finish. Part o f car care is wash ing and waxing the right way, which involves products that are nonabrasive and easy-to-use. With an entire aisle devoted to w axes, how do you know how to avoid the hype and find a quality product? Here are som e com mon w ax gim m icks unmasked, courtesy o f the Malm's Camauba Wax. One-step cleaner-waxes, polyglaze synthetics and A m ino-func tional silicones: These all contain abrasives that grad ually "sandpaper" your finish away, and som e can cause tiny scratches that actually dull the shine. Don't use these if you wax often. Colored waxes: You'll need a different bottle for each color car. The polish residue is supposed to fill in chips and scratches. O nly touch-up paint should be used to fill chips. And if the dyes used are really strong enough to affect your paint, it could discolor your rubber, chrome and glass. Claims o f high percentages o f Camauba wax: It's not the quantity o f wax, but the use o f quality grades and blends o f different Camauba waxes and additional spe cial unique ingredi ents that creates the highest shine and durability. Although the most effective w axes are made with imported Camauba wax, which is found on a select group o f palm trees that grow mainly in Brazil. The first car w axes were com posed o f this ingre dient and were abrasive-free. A s the cost o f gathering and importing this natural wax sky rocketed, chemists created cheaper "wax-less" substi tutes that contained abrasives. They were billed as the "lazy-man's onestep car polish." Unfortunately, they've never been able to equal the extreme high gloss and lasting power o f pure non-abra sive Camauba wax. $29.95msrp Additionol charges apply fo r 5 cylinder, 6-cylinder · and diesel engines. Ask Dealer lo r details 10% OFF Regular Dealer Price $21 to $35m srp : Priced per pair. Prices vary by model. Oil Change 4-cylinder g aso lin e eng in e Change engine oil (5 L max) · Install real Volkswagen oil filter · Check and top-off brake, windshield washer and pow er steering fluids if applicable. "Participating dealers only. Please present coupon at time of write-up. Not to be combined with other offers. Not redeemable for advertised specials,previous purchases, or cosh. Expires November 30, 2002. Manufacturer Recommended Scheduled Maintenance Inspect, adjust and replace parts according to manufacture recommended specifications, time and mileage intervals. Includes labour, parts and fluids. Refer to your Vehicle ' Maintenance M anual fo r details. ·Participating dealers onfy. Please present coupon at time of wrile-up. Not to be combined with other offers. Not redeemable for advertised specials, previous purchases, or cash. Expires November 30, 2002. SmartBlades A p a ir of premium w ip er blades with exclusive w e a r indicator A wear indicator alerts you to when the blades need to be replaced. Advanced rubber technology fo r quiet, dean w iping in all weather conditions. ` Participating dealers only. Please present coupon at time of write-up. Not to be combined with other offers. Not redeemable for advertised speciols,previous purchases, or cash. Espwes November 30, 2002. p O S H * N<^ n E Track wise and street smartMantis specializes in everything tor VW and Porsche. We feature high performance modifications, engine rebuilding, dyno testing and custom roll bar fabrication. Our total commitment is to providing full service, personalized c a r careeconom lcally. We guarantee our work by employing a highly skilled team of factory trained, Bosch technicians...and by using the finest in equipment and parts. L in fllT Your Volkswagen knows where to find expert service at competitive prices the Volkswagen Service Store. It's all here - the people, the parts and the price. W hether it's time for an oil change, new w iper blades or scheduled maintenance, there's no reason to consider going anywhere else. O u r factory-trained service experts know your Volkswagen vehicle better than anyone. And we've invested in the latest diagnostic equipment to make sure your Volkswagen is serviced right, right away. W e also use real Volkswagen parts, made to the exact same specification as original parts. Your Volkswagen wouldn't settle for anything less. You shouldn't either. W e've put everything you need for your Volkswagen under one roof - serv ice, parts and accessories - all at competitive prices. Bring in a coupon and take advantage o f our Service Store Specials. Call for an appointment today. Volksw agens Love Real Volksw agen Service & Parts Bring it in to Mantis. We mean business. · championship expertise · customer focused service · certified dealer for all major parts · Momo distributor Drivers wanted; m SERVICE HOURS: Mon.-Tues., Thurs., Fri. 8am -5 pm , W ednesday, 8am -8 pm , Saturday, 8am -4pm Oakville Volkswagen 557 Kerr Street, Oakville 905-844-3285 w w w .c a k v ille v w a u d i.c o m 1029 Speers Rood, Unit 6 Oakville, Ontario L6L 2XS BOSCH; Tel: 905-844-4219 Fax: 905-844-9230 Get Ready for Fall Package Includes Oil and Oil Filter Change Check Battery Condition Inspect Hoses and Clamps Brake Inspection · Tire Rotation Inspect Tire Pressure and Wear Inspect All Fluid levels Inspect Drive Belt Condition Inpsecl Wipers and Blades Inspect Exhaust System Inspect Shocks and Springs Inpsect all lights and bulbs Inspect and Lubricate Door Locks, Latches and Handles "Environmental levies and taxes extra where applicable. Expires Sept. 18,2002. Available only with coupon. Cannot be combined with other specials, discounts or offers. Oil and Filter Change * 95 Drive in for our Oil Change, which inludes the installation of a GENUINE NISSAN OIL FILTER, and up to 4 litres of top-quality motor oil "Environmental levies and taxes extra where applicable. Expires Sept. 18,2002. Available only with coupon. Cannot be combined with other specials, discounts or offers. NISSAN ADDED SECURITY IT'S NOT TOO LATE! Call for Details 2 d ° / o O f F Genuine Nissan Accessories Expires Sept. 18,2002. Offers Cannot be combined. O a k v ille GENUINE NISSAN PARTS & SERVICE www.oakvillenissan.com Hardtai Q EWToronto > - ae * | N Speers Rood «©· -a" aa -XC N I S S A N TOTAL CONFIDENCE 1450 SPEERS ROAD, OAKVILLE 905-827-1177