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THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1998 By MAGGIE PETRUSHEVSKY The New Tanner The Pelitis family has been operating Achilles Mazda in Acton for 25 years and plan to carry right on into the future. A trained professional by the age of 25, (Achilles) Les Pelitis came to Acton with his wife Litsa in 1972. They didn't plan on settling here but they have no regrets about the decision. Pelitis was the mayor of his hometown of Thessalonki, Greece, and comfortably established in the car business when he de- cided he wanted to explore what North America had to offer. He brought his wife with sufficient money to look around a little and planned on going to the United States after a stop in Toronto. By chance he met up with a bus driver from Tyler Transport who happened to tell his boss about this visit- ing Greek with all this auto- motive experience. Ted Tyler and his father went to meet Pelitis and of- fered him a job as a fleet mechanic. They brought the couple to Acton for a look around and the Pelitises de- cided they liked what they saw. "Ted even took me to im- Waiting for baby... Continued from page 4 unconcerned about the panic she had raised. My Nelson knew more about trouble than both his sisters combined. He was the one who at three set a chair on Julia's head, then sat on it and killed one of her front teeth. Don't ask why she let him do that. We never did straighten that out. He was also the one who, at five, got into the neigh- bour's yard with another neighbour and threw every- thing but the barbeque and redwood chaise lounge into the swimming pool. Seems Glenn and Adrian were pick- ing on Nelson and Rick so when the elder pair went to soccer practice, the younger boys got back at them. Of course, by the time Glen and Adrian's parents came home another neigh- bour's daughter and Jess were standing in their pool fishing stuff out - lawn teeth talk migration," Pelitis recalls. "I promised to work for him for a year. But he knew I wanted to be on my own." At the end of the year Pelitis bought the existing service station at the corner of Highway 7 and Churchill Road and set up his own busi- ness. His wife worked by his side handling the books and sharing his difficulties. They stuck to operating a garage at first, gaining suffi- cient reputation to be offered the opportunity to service the fleet for the newly formed Halton Regional Police. Pelitis looked after all the police vehicles for eight years, giving it up only when © became so busy with his Mazda dealership that he couldn't handle both roles. By that time he was servic- ing more than 300 cruisers. But he picked up the Mazda franchise in 1976 and as the dealership grew, it de- manded more and more of his mechanics' attention The cruisers had to re- ceive number one priority but he couldn't guarantee that as his Mazda customers re- quired more and more atten- tion too. "You can't carry two wa- termelons in the same arm," Pelitis explains. "You're go- ing to drop one. And I didn't want that to happen. He received a plaque from chairs, shoes, towels, bathing suits, a tent, pure wool post- age stamps that used to be blankets... you get the pic- ture. The neighbours were unhappy to put it mildly and I was none too joyous myself. When they started making vicious noises I reminded them of the law requiring fencing around swimming - pools and suggested they should be glad the boys didn't drown since their gate obviously wasn't locked. Rick's dad, a volunteer fire- fighter, supplied a fire hose to drain the pool, and Nel- son didn't sit for a week. Nelson was also the one who fell out of a tree on Canada Day and broke his arm when he was eight. I thought it was just dislocated and straightened the "bend". Don't ask. The damage wasn't permanent and he does speak to me - sort of, sometimes. When Vasyl and I married Send your Tech Talk questions to Bryan & Dan at The New Tanner, 59 Willow St. N. or fax to 853-0052 THE NEW TANNER 7 Pelitis family celebrates 25 years in business the force in recognition of his work. Pelitis decided to sell Mazdas because that com- pany, like himself, was just starting out in Canada at that time. He saw a chance to grow with the firm and he decided to pursue it. Since that time he has earned every prestigious award the com- pany has to offer its Canadian ers. The couple still lived in the apartment over their ga- rage when their only child was born. Achilles, or J.R. as he gets called to distinguish him from his father, has worked in the dealership since he was a teenager. He was a licensed salesman at 16 and began studying automo- tive marketing and business management at Northwood University in Midland, Michigan two years ago. He will graduate in 2000 and plans to return to carry on the family business. His parents proudly share those plans, hinting that they will retire when J.R.cantake - over. "We sent him to the best school to pre him for the year 2000," Pelitis says. "We started the business and our customers have been very loyal and good to us. We want to build a bridge so our son could carry on into the future," he says. none of our children had started their families yet. In- deed, only one of the then- married kids is still married to the same partner. We've been Grandma and Grandpa together for the whole younger generation. That's 20 now, all under the age of 12 and only five boys in the bunch. Just as well. I never ~ did know how to cope with - males as my son and his fa- - ther would both agree. You'd think the excite- ment would wear off by this time. Somehow it doesn't. ~ Maybe it's because this is - Alex's first child. He's my baby step-son and almost as close as my own kids. Maybe I'm just a sucker for babies. maybe its because Iam only the emergency sitter when all else fails. Maybe that's how I manage to keep glad to see them all. They never arrive without their parents and they (almost) al- ways leave with them. Ti ale) BRYAN & DAN QUESTION: J have a 1991 Crown Victoria with a 5.0 litre engine and 102,000 km. If my heater control is in the vent position and I accelerate hard or go up a hill, my airflow goes to defrost and blows on the windshield. Why does this happen? ANSWER: The airflow control doors on most Fords are controlled by engine vacuum. In the event of a vacuum loss or a malfunction, the failsafe mode goes to full defrost. Vacuum is low during heavy engine load. To compensate for low vacuum conditions, there is a vacuum check valve and reservoir canister under the hood. We would suspect a defective check valve or a leaking canister. The canister looks like an apple juice can mounted to one of the inner fenders. Quite often these canisters rust through, leaving no vacuum reserve for the controls, causing them to go the full defrost. azda www. haltonhills.com/achillesmazda www.haltonhills.com/achillesmazd wiry halfonhils comlachillesmazda wwwhaltonhills. com/achilles The Pelitis eps well known Mazda dealers, are celbrating 25 years in business in Acton. "Les" (Achilles) Pelitis started in business shortly after coming to Canada from Greece. Left to right, son Achilles, Lista and Les. 3 WWW. haltonhills.com/achillesmazda www.haltonhills. foe d : ACHILLES MAZDA: Presents 1998 Mazda B2500 SX 4x2 Trucké with convenience package Lease from $169* per month/24 months $1,500 down or purchase from $15,324 -1998 AJAC Best New Pick Up Truck Award wanes Lease from 2 °169* yoe/wios'sijiyuoyey S 5 a B a 3 : & 5S s B a S [| 8 |! b side cut off switch -all new suspension with 350% stiffer frame -Power assisted rack-and-pinion steering -Rear wheel anti-lock brakes -AM/EM stereo cassette 1998 Mazda Protege SE with convenience package Lease from $179* per month/24 months $1,500 down or purchase from $15,135 ~» -AM/PM Stereo with CD -14 inch wheels with full covers # -60/40 split rear seat -Driver and passengerside air bags -Tilt steering 1998 Mazda 626 LX Lease from $289* per month/24 months $1,800 down or purchase from $22,575 -Automatic Transmission -Power windows and door locks * -AM/EM Stereo with CD, clock and 4 speakers -Driver and passenger-side air bags -Air Conditioning -Cruise Control 1998 Mazda MPV 4x2 All Sport Lease from $349* per month/24 months $3,000 down or purchase from $28,698 -Al Sport appearance package -Captains Chairs for front and middle seating -Power windows and door locks with keyless remote entry -AM/Fm Stereo with CD -Driver and passenger-side air bags -Dual Air Conditioning (Front and Rear) -Swing out doors Gem CRM OT re Gs At) C3 silyuoyey-MMM epzewsal|iyoe/Woo's|I1YUO yey MMM EpZeusalit *Offers avoileble on new 1998 Protegé SE, 626 LX, B2S00 SX 4X2 Truck ond MPV 4X2 All models from participating dealer's stock from Jan. 8, 1998 for @ limited time Supply and stock Purchase price includes deolet incentives. Deoler seli/lease, Tera htt ratte ne te ies a Fae fe 3 all leases based on 24 pos t trade-in, first monthly ieee oe F41S76Rh00) C8 mae sent aan ott Sport (mod o us REDE T sewn parent 8 sented poment 0 $00, ae di el if ded 8 cents 's. Leose ond purchase ease pels Sraase, inornce, taxes. fire iting dealers for gaan pi It is worth the drive to Acton 2 4 AchillesmazpDa SALES * SERVICE * LEASING The Place tor Unbeatable Prices and Service '357 QUEEN STREET EAST, ACTON (519) 853-0200 (905) 453-8965 FINANCING. EXTENDED WARRANTIES, RUST PROTECTION AVAILABLE ent See cana Tat ie smc I $33 ze BpZeulsajjiyse/wioo's|/iyUoey MMM EPZeUsa)|Iyoe/Wi0d~ enh frei joa! mat of fa for cors Sect Be