WHEELS Deals Dad’s road trip idea will make good memories AND
Burnaby NOW • Wednesday, November 21, 2012 • A31
CLICK & CLACK TALK CARS Ray & Tom Magliozzi
Dear Tom and Ray: My dad has a 1962 Studebaker Hawk that he bought three years ago, when he was in chemotherapy. He got it out of a barn in Wisconsin, where it had sat for more than 30 years. It has 80,000 miles on it, and it’s in pretty good shape. The paint is worn out, and it needs some interior work. He loves this old car and wants to take my brother and me on a trip on old Route 66 next summer starting in Chicago and going to somewhere in Missouri. I’m 14, and my brother is 12. Dad has done a lot of work on it. He’s added seatbelts, modern disc brakes and
dual master cylinders; he’s converted the generator to an alternator; and he’s added an electronic ignition and a modern carburetor. Mom is not thrilled with the road-trip idea. She says the car is too old and undependable. For example, the gas gauge doesn’t work (Dad says that he just has to know how far he’s driven), it does not have air conditioning and he disconnected the heater. He promised to get the non-working AM radio repaired and fix the small hole in the front floor before we go. Who is right – Mom or Dad? Should we go on this trip, or will we break down in the middle of some cornfields in Illinois? Are we going to melt in this old car? Dad says the vent windows and fender vents will keep us from getting too hot. The car is two years older than my dad.
He really wants to take stride. this trip. Thank you. And, since he’s a guy Zach who wants to make this RAY: Will you break trip in a ‘62 Studebaker, down in the cornfields of he’ll also show his sons Illinois? Yes – and lots of that fun can be had under other places. Will you melt almost any circumstances, in this old car? even when it’s Yes, especially “He loves this old 106 F in the when you’re breakdown car and wants to lane. stopped or broken down, take my brother which will be TOM: I and me on a trip understand often. on old Route your mom’s TOM: concerns. 66 next sumShould you go That’s her job mer, starting in in the family: on this trip? Absolutely! to worry about Chicago.” things like, oh, RAY: No life and death. ZACH Letter writer question about But your dad it. It sounds doesn’t sound like a wonderful advenreckless to us. He’s given ture. And breaking down this car a lot of upgrades, will just be part of the including the addition of adventure. seatbelts. And he plans It’ll give your dad a to take the old, slower chance to show his sons Route 66, rather than risk how to handle adversity your safety at 75 mph on and solve problems, and the highway with tandem how to take things in trailers whizzing by.
RAY: So my suggestion is to assure Mom that you’re taking reasonable precautions. That means bringing two things along with you.
TOM: No. 1 is a cellphone, so that when you break down and your dad is unable to fix the problem himself, you can call for help. You may even want to download our iPhone app called “Breakdown Lane” from iTunes. RAY: It uses your iPhone’s GPS data to find the closest highly rated repair shops anywhere in the country – whatever cornfield or city you break down in. TOM: And the second thing you need to bring is a credit card. You’ll use that to either pay for parts and repairs, or, if worse comes
to worst, buy three bus tickets home and take the Studebaker’s plates with you.
RAY: Either way, it’ll be a great adventure that you’ll all remember for the rest of your lives. So go for it. And have Mom call us if she needs some more convincing. Auto repairs can be costly! Save money by ordering Tom and Ray’s pamphlet “Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It!” Send US$4.75 (cheque or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 328536475. Get more Click and Clack in their new book, “Ask Click and Clack: Answers from Car Talk.” Got a question about cars? Write to Click and Clack by visiting the Car Talk website at www.cartalk. com.
Delivers everything you need, including maintenance. Lease or finance a 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and receive up to:
6,000*
$
in cash incentives.
Plus receive 3 years of
NO-CHARGE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE** Additional $1,000 free fuel.† City: 13.8L/100 km1 Highway: 9.4L/100 km1 Sprinter 2500 144" Cargo Van
1
Offer ends November 30, 2012.
thesprinter.ca
Sprinter Sales and Service Centre 1502 Boundary Rd., Burnaby, BC
604-331-BENZ (2369) mbvancouver.ca
© 2012 Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. 2012 Sprinter 170" Cargo Van shown. *$6,000 cash incentive is valid for 2012 Sprinter Cargo Van 2500 170", 2012 Sprinter Cargo Van 2500 170" EXT, 2012 Sprinter Cargo Van 3500 144", 2012 Sprinter Cargo Van 3500 170", 2012 Sprinter Cargo Van 3500 170" EXT, valid for lease, finance or cash purchase contracts and is to be deducted from the negotiated total price before taxes. Lease and finance offers available only through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services on approved credit. Dealer may sell for less. Offers may change without notice and cannot be combined with any other offers. **3 years of scheduled maintenance covers the first 3 factory scheduled maintenance services or 3 years, whichever comes first. Scheduled maintenance interval for model year 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is the earlier of 1 year or 20,000 km. The specific maintenance services included are described in the applicable Owner’s/Operator’s Manual and Service/Maintenance Booklet. Offer is non-transferable, non-refundable and has no cash value. Certain limitations apply. See your authorized Mercedes-Benz Sprinter dealer for details or call the MercedesBenz Vancouver Care Centre at 604-331-2369. Offer valid for all model year 2012 in-stock units, offer may be withdrawn without notice. 1Based on on-road fuel economy & performance testing of 2011 Sprinter 2500 144" Cargo Van at 50% load capacity, and at highway/city speeds according to the SAE J1082 & J1491 standards as conducted in the U.S. by WinterPark Engineering in May of 2011 and summarized in a report dated June 10, 2011. Vehicle shown may have lower than advertised fuel efficiency. Your actual fuel consumption may vary. Not for comparison purposes with fuel efficiency data of other vehicles where such data has been determined using Government of Canada approved test methods (“Canadian Tests”). The fuel efficiency data supporting the claims in this advertisement have not been determined using Canadian Tests because such tests are not required for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Data from Canadian Tests is being determined and will be available for 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. †Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. is not responsible for any stolen or lost gas cards. Gas cards are non transferable and awarded as is. Offers may change without notice and cannot be combined with any other offers. Offer ends November 30, 2012.
Check
www.Burnabynow.com
for breaking news, photo galleries, blogs and more