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Wednesday, December 20, 2000 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER D7 B e s 1 t W h e e l s O a k v i l l e Tips for reducing your car insurance prem ium s Car insurance is mandatory, but it is also peace of mind. If you are injured in a car accident and unable to work for example, car insurance is there to cover many medical expenses and provide you with income benefits. If you have purchased extra insurance, you may be covered for such things as the cost of repairs or car replacement, if your car is damaged or stolen. "When buying car insurance," says Dina Palozzi, Chief Executive Officer and Superintendent of the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO), "it may not always be wise to buy the cheapest insurance policy you can find. We suggest you compare price with service to ensure the best value for your money." FSCO safeguards consumers in a variety of ways, including providing dispute resolution services and the approval and moni toring of both the premium rates and driver clas sification systems used by insurance companies. FSCO also offers information on the financial services sectors it regulates. These include insurance, loan and trust companies, pensions, credit unions, caisses populaires, co-operatives, and mortgage brokers. In its handy booklet, Shopping For Car Insurance, the commission explains how insur ance rates are set. them a little more closely: Your Car: Many insurance companies rate makes and models of cars according to actual claims data, factoring in average repair costs, the rate of injury, and the theft-rate of the car. As well, some insurance companies base their rates on the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price of the car, so the more expensive it is, the higher your premium will be. Your Driving Record: The better your driving record, the lower your premium will be. Rates will rise, however, if you have had at-fault acci dents and/or driving convictions, such as speed ing, impaired, or careless driving. How Much You Drive: Rates are higher for people who spend more time on the road, sim ply because it increases your chances of having an accident. Those who drive to work, or use their car for business, generally pay higher pre miums than those who don't drive to work at all. Where You Live: Urban areas, where there are a large number of cars on the road, increase the chances of an accident, and therefore insur ance rates are higher. Also, more cars are stolen on city streets than in rural areas. The Deductibles: Opting to increase your deductibles can help to reduce your premium. Your deductible is the portion of a claim that you are required to pay in the event of a claim. More information is available online at www.fsco.gov.on.ca. If you would like a free copy of the FSCO guide, Shopping For Car Insurance, call FSCO's Publications Line at (416) 590-7298, or toll-free at 1-800-668-0128. -News Canada Where else do you want to be on a sunny afternoon, regardless of the time of year, when the roads are clear and so is the air? kay, I admit it. I'm a sucker for the Mazda with spring-loaded assist made the Miata feel like Miata and have been since the little roadster more than just a collection of bits from the Protege parts bins tied together with the innovative aluminum was introduced more than a decade ago. Factors you can control It was only about four months ago I tested the 2000 centre spine. The six-speed takes more precision than Insurance companies have their own rating version on these pages, but when the Mazda PR man the five-speed. The gear case has got six wheels systems, yet there are a number of factors you packed pretty close together. Once you get can control, such as the type of car you drive, called and said he had a 2001 with variable your driving record, how much you drive, where used to six speeds, you tend to use them valve timing, I convinced myself that there you live, and your deductibles. Let's look at all. More than once I found myself trying was still plenty of top-down weather left to get fifth or third and not being able to this year. push the shifter home. I found myself Actually, the Miata has been equipped having to think about the next gear with standard glass, heated rear window for change instead of it happening seemingly three model years now, so you see a fair Modem car heaters and defrosters are so powerful that the interior of any vehicle gets very com by itself with the five-speed. I have to tell number of them on the streets in the winter. you, the five-speed is pretty special and fortable after only a few minutes. So it is useless to wear bulky parkas and heavy boots to drive. In the days when I owned BMWs, I learned Heavy garments can restrict movement in an emergency manoeuvre and prevent you from regaining the one I would probably stick with. that a patio stone on the trunk floor can do Same thing goes for the tires. While control of the car in a skid. wonders for grip and that can be taken to the P205/45 are grippy in the extreme, the amazing heights by simply fitting four Also, wearing warm clothes in a warm car can cause sleepiness. It is much better to wear layers of snow tires. very narrow sidewall makes the car feel clothes and adjust to the ambient temperature in the car. lumpy at slow speeds. The grip makes it The big news, of course, is variable - News Canada valve timing, but I'm also glad that Mazda RoadWorthy possible to aim this little car wherever you're looking. I have to say the fact that didn't decide to make "improvements" ----------because the car was just about perfect in the first place. the ability to hang out the rear end has been quelled But one thing that had been missing was a little by the new tires takes a bit of fun our of it for me, more mid-range torque. The engine remains the 1.8- though I realize the younger generations prize preci ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM litre in-line four-cylinder, but now with 155 hp up sion tracking. The standard P195/5015s let you fling from 140 hp in the 2000 version. Standard transmis the car around with abandon. But the sport suspen sion is the lovely five-speed I've crowed about before sion with the Bilsteins is money well spent. My solu and a four-speed automatic is also available for those tion would be the Sport and then bite the bullet for a who don't want to learn to drive a "stick" and thus pair of 50 or 55 ratio 16-inch tires The up side is the extra 15 horses and six pounds deprive themselves of one of the great pleasures of life. of torque that have found their way to the mid range. For 2001, a six-speed manual transmission is From a spritely little roadster, those extra ponies have offered with "sports"', "aero" or "leather" option pack turned the Miata into a true sportscar. With the special ages. My tester came with the leather package thus the tires, the sports suspension and the six speeds, the six-speed. Miatas are now fitted as standard with 15- $35,000 price tag gives you the upper tier handling inch alloy wheels. The 16-inch wheels come with the and response you pay double for when purchasing a German Roadster. sports and leather packages. No, it won't outdrag a Z3, but it will sure as heck List price of a Miata is $27,605 and a four-speed automatic adds $1,075. The detachable hardtop is stay with it in the twisty bits. Thank the perfect 50/50 another $1,675. Factory air is $1,000 and you have to ffont/rear weight distribution for this, a plus factor get the leather package to boot. Frankly, these are Mazda has wisely left untouched. For proof, the six-speed manual car goes from 0three options I'd never order. As for air, you buy a con vertible to feel the wind in your hair, not the cold air 100 kmh in 8.0 second, the five-speed in 8.1 seconds. on your face. In terms of fuel efficiency, the six-speed gets The Leather Package is $5,130 ($5,115 if the auto 10.417100 km (27 mpg) city and 7.817100 km (36 matic is ordered) and it includes leather seating, Nardi mpg) highway. The five-speed is slightly better at leather wheel, the six-speed manual or four-speed 10.217100 km (28 mpg) city, 7.717100 km (37 mpg) automatic, AM/FM/CD sound system, folding wind highway. Luxury items like 200-Watt Bose sound systems blocker, strut tower stress bar (worth having), fog lights, keyless entry, and nice 16-inch alloys with low and leather are all well and good and goodness knows there are plenty of people who have done well in the profile P205/45R 16 tires. If it were me, I'd look at the Sport Package for current economy and want a little first-class fittings $3,165 which includes the six-speed, the alloys and for their travels. Me, I want the fun, and thankfully, the Miata, the tires noted above plus the stress bar, a limited slip differential and a sports suspension with Bilstein although it has been around for 11 years, is still onei shocks. You can also mix and match the Sport and of my favorite cars come rain, shine, sleet, or lati Leather package into something called the Aero autumn afternoons. Bundled up nicely with the heater on and the pas Sports Package, but it takes too long to explain in the senger side window up, I really enjoyed taking a long space available. Now the base car, if you cancall it that, comes with ride one chilly afternoon. Yes, I had 200 watts of power windows, mirrors and door locks, dual airbags sound, but I also had that gem of a Mazda twincam including a cut-off switch for the passenger side, and the marvelous fruity sound of the exhaust, anoth engine immobilizer, even a leather wrapped steering er feature Mazda has not trifled with or attempted to change. If an exhaust note can be music, the Miata is wheel. My test Miata was the leather with the aero pack a symphony. And you know, I still enjoy walking out to the age combo, which topped out approximately $35,035. Two of the many outstanding attributes of the garage to find the little car sitting there all ready to go Miata have been handling/response and ergonomic for a romp like an eager rtew puppy. You only live once, and sometimes you owe it to satisfaction. From the seating position to the roadster-correct yourself to enjoy a little bit of freedom on the open black on white gauges with chrome ring surrounds, road with a friend like the Miata that loves to come the best part of all was the shifter. Tight, slick shifts along just for the ride. What could be more fun than a Mazda Miata on the open road O JIM ROBINSON The layered look is better for w inter driving THIS HOUDAYWHY SHOULDTHE KIDS HAVEALLTHE FUN? Muggsy Bogues, Point Guard fo r the Toronto Raptors drives a PT Cruiser from Lockwood Chrysler. "Lockw ood Chrysler is the most desirable place in O akville to buy, lease o r service your Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicle." a HMay plus $500 _____ Christm as Cash Back You from Chrysler on all j£ i jH » * ^ 2000/2001 models* for 90 days. ·Excludes Viper, Prowler, PT Cruiser. See dealer for details. Limited time offer. Not valid with any other offer. _ , n - · -- Please drop off your unwrapped Christmasgbs for T u r nm S T A R w ing.- h a l t o n w o m e n 'sp l a H R Y S L E R www.lockwoodchrysler.com LOCKWOOD F IV /E o o o o o O a k ville 's o n ly Five Star Certified D ealership 175 W yecrolT Rd.,Oakville (between Kerr & Dorval) 845-6653