EXPRESSautoz - June 3-9, 2013 - Page 23
LS906091.F03 Liza
Auto Call for Glass Spring Specials Windshield, Door Glass, Back Glass Replacements
We install all auto glass for all insurance companies Most claims can be processed at our shop!
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2405 Wheaton Avenue
We’re just a Stone Throw Away, Call
221-2378
WITH NO PAINTING Spot Paint Repair Plastic Bumper Repair Spray In Box Liner Windshield Replacement & Chip Repair
Specializing in automotive injection and carburation Shuttle service available
956-3368
#1 - 702 1st Ave N
www.dentclinic.com
Located Just North of SGI
FullThrottle
Complete Automotive Service and Maintenance
Door Ding
Windshield Repair
Professionally Removed...
Dare To Be
#2-402 43rd St. E
www.paragonfuel.ca
664-6642
DIFFERENT
By RHONDA WHEELER
w w w. s h i f t w e e k ly. c o m
Breaking up is so hard to do . . . when you love your truck
I
actually shed a tear when it rumbled off into the sunset. The young couple flew in from another city to take our beloved shop truck off our hands and they seemed pleased with their purchase. They should have been. The 55,000-kilometre 2000 Ford Lightning SVT was the picture of perfect physical health. Regular servicing and pampering and a day at the detail shop, and another three hours with editor Jeff buffing out the sides of the box, and the eyepopping short-box pickup looked brand new. Sure, all the kilometres in our hands weren’t easy ones. It had been to the drag strip a couple of times (that’s what a hotrod truck is for, after all) and was fitted with a huge Brembo-brand brake kit for a series of stopping tests from 120 km-h. The log book showed more than 100 entries with notes in the right column indicating some of the testing was cut short because, “passenger is getting barfy.” Over its life, the truck had become a personal pal of mine. There always seemed to be something new in it, on it or done to it, whether it was a stereo, new wheels and tires, or an exhaust system, and we all got to regularly take it on outings. It gets tons of looks and has a great sound to it. It has even towed the company’s ‘63 Corvette to the odd car show here and there. Now, that’s a sight rolling down the road. So, when the young couple handed over the certified check and put their bags in back of it and said their good byes, I thought, “this feels wrong.” I’m not the only one who thought it, either. So, why sell it? How did we get to this point? Like most things that end up for sale, the Lightning just wasn’t being used very much. We always seemed to be moving it out of the way and it always seemed to be out of gas or in need of an insurance or plate renewal. It wasn’t a shop pest, not by any stretch of the imagination, but the powers that be felt it would be better to sell it now while it was still worth a good buck. The Ford Lightning SVT has a reputation as one of the quickest and fastest trucks ever built, with a supercharged 5.4-litre V8. Back in 2000, 360 horsepower was quite a bit, even if it’s only average by today’s standards. With big, sticky summer tires, big brakes, a body kit and side-exiting exhaust, it also looked the performance part. Our purchase of it back in 2004 was a bit of a fluke. Editor Jeff was surfing Ebay for inter-
esting auction vehicles to write about and, as he says, the first Fast and Furious movie was playing in the background. Fans of the movie franchise might recall that actor Paul Walker was working, under cover, at an auto-parts shop and drove a red 2000 Lightning SVT. Editor Jeff says he always liked that truck and immediately looked for one on Ebay to check out the value. Up popped a 17,500kilometre (11,000-mile) example from a Cadillac dealer in Cincinnati, Ohio. The auction had no set reserve price, so the high bid, no matter how low or high, was going to take it home. And that’s how it ended up as our shop truck, but it almost didn’t. The price was well below market value and the dealer tried many delays and tactics to get out of the sale. And when it was finally loaded up for the trip back to Canada, the transport truck caught fire en route, burning up the paperwork that was stored in the cab with the driver. The drive was fine, our truck was fine, but we all had a pretty good scare. The purchase, while perhaps by chance, wasn’t entirely without foresight. To get your money back out at resale time, you have to buy something that will hold its value and you have to “buy right”. After a decade with us, the truck sold for only $2,000 less than what was paid, which works out to a loss of just $200 a year. Compare that to a new car that could lose half its value in five years. So, why not keep it, then? Aside from the reasons already given, the concern was that the truck, now 13 years old, should be sold before the repair bills started growing (it was going to need $1,500 in tires in the next six months, for example). Keep in mind that in its life with us, only two repairs were ever made; one to fix the passenger-side power door lock; and the other for a recall on the cruise-control switch. Talk about reliable. That’s likely one of the reasons the young couple was smiling so much when handed the keys. Conversely, as they drove away, I think we all felt a little sick. I’m not sure if a replacement is in the cards, right now, but funnily enough, the new owners intend to only keep the little red truck for a year or two. I gave them my number. You can message Rhonda by logging on to www.shiftweekly.com and clicking the contact link. Wheelbase Media is a worldwide provider of automotive news and feature stories.
“wE wON’T BE UNDERSOLD”
$
receive an additional
1,500
Interest as low as
++
on any truck purchased if you discount currently own a truck
0
%*
2013 Motor Trends Truck of the Year
CONGRATULATIONS
2013 RAM 1500 QUAD CAB 4X4 SXT $27,448* -$1,500 loyalty/ConquestCash***
$
25,948*
$
$
Phil Holmes A Court
SAVE 11,992
158
Top Salesman in western Canada
††
BI-WEEKLY
Was $39,440
N7047
2013 RAM 1500 CREw CAB SXT 4X4 $29,998* -$1,500 loyalty
$
28,498*
$
197
Hard work and customer loyalty pays off. Proud to be part of the Dodge City Team!
††
BI-WEEKLY
Was $41,390
N8026
2013 RAM 2500 HD CREw CAB 4X4
2013 RAM 1500 SPORT 4X4
New Interior
$37,164* -$1,500 loyalty/ConquestCash***
$
35,664*
2013 DODGE DART
$
N7236
205
††
BI-WEEKLY
$
Was $49,090
0%* Interest
59,998*345 $
Up to 58 MPG
SAle PriCe
$
98
BI-WEEKLY
††
2013 DODGE JOURNEY SE CANADA VALUE
2013 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO X
$
43,498*
SAle PriCe
SAle PriCe
120
BI-WEEKLY
$
was $48,685
N6540
$
N6044
loaded, heated leather, Sunroof, Nav., 4x4
N6230
20,875*
N9014
249
BI-WEEKLY
††
2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN CANADA VALUE
#1 Selling CroSSover in Canada
$
Was $71,585
THe MoST aWarded SUv ever
SAle PriCe
17,590*
††
BI-WEEKLY
N1634
$
Just
$61,498* Arrived -$1,500 loyalty/ConquestCash***
$ ††
SAVE $8,972
20,998*
$
Was $29,970
140
BI-WEEKLY
††
2013 DODGE STOw-N-GO CARAVAN
The MOST AffOrDAble MiD-Size CAr iN CANADA
N6660
N1428
2013 CHRYSLER 200 LX
rear heat + Air U-Connect hands free
SAle PriCe
$
24,998*
SAle PriCe Was $33,965
$
144
BI-WEEKLY
††
$
18,996*
$
2012 Dodge Avenger N1317 ...................................................... was 22,760 Sale Price $18,989* $ * 2013 Jeep Compass Sport 4x4 N3006 ................................................... 0%*** Sale Price $26,494* 2013 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4x4 N5021 .................................................... Sale Price 20,593 $ * Ultimate Journey *** $1500Price loyalty/ 26,593 2013 Dodge Journey SXT N6245 .............................................. no Charge dvd included*** Package *** was 32,410 Sale ConquestCash $ * Ultimate Journey no Charge dvd included*** 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan N6662 .......................................... Package *** was 37,590 Sale Price 26,998 2013 Jeep Grande Cheroke Overland 4x4 N6031 .................. was 58,890 Sale Price $52,698* 2013 Dodge Durango Citadel 4x4 N6406 ................................ was 59,185 Sale Price $52,998* $
$
109
BI-WEEKLY $
††
109 ** Bi-Wkly
$
154** Bi-Wkly
$ $
119 ** Bi-Wkly
165 ** Bi-Wkly
169 ** Bi-Wkly
$
$
$
$
303 ** Bi-Wkly
$
$
305 ** Bi-Wkly
2200 Eighth Street East Corner of 8th & Preston
The 2000 Ford Lightning SVT arrives at our offices in 2004, as a shop truck, with just 17,500 kilometres on it. Immediately, everyone falls in love with it and the fighting for the keys ensues. It’s not pretty.
374-2120
or
1-800-667-4755
www.dodgecityauto.com
*Financing Special, 4.49% variable, up to 96 months on select 2013 models O.A.C. See dealer for details
††Lease Payment Based over 60 months. Bi-weekly payments are plus taxes and fees. All discounts & rates applied. *All prices & payments are plus taxes & fees. Selling price reflects all discounts rebates. Bonus Cash or n/c options used in all prices advertised. ***See Dodge City for details. Plus applicable taxes & fees due at signing. Vehicles not exactly as illustrated. Some exceptions should apply. **Payments bi-weekly with $0 Down plus taxes and fees. 4.49% Full Term Financing up to 96 months. All prices include Freight & PDI. See Dealer for Details. ***Loyalty/ConquestCash is only available if customer owns an existing truck, after tax rebate. Vehicles not exactly as illustrated. **** See Dodge City for details
Dealer License Number 911673