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It is firstly very large and capa- ble of hauling immense numbers of people and things. With a wide vari- ety of captain's chairs and bench seats, it can easily carry seven in real comfort. One option allows the centre seats to be removed and the back bench folded down to make a bed big enough for three people. any people feel so safe when they travel by car, they fail to M take easy, sensible precautions that can enhance their safety. By being over confident, you may make yourself more vul- nerable to attack. The following is a list of things to consider for 'street proofing' your car: When buying a car, check for security features such as a headlight timer and delay switches, anti-theft door locks, anti-theft windows, and power door locks. The locks will help protect both you and your car. The lighting features will keep the car lights on long enough to light your way of a parking lot, or up to the door of your house - so you aren't forced to walk in the dark. By JIM ROBINSON Special to the Beaver Ford is one of the very last car- makers in the world which still pro- duces a frame to which everything is attached. There are a few space frames around, but most of the automotive world has gone uni- body. It's easier to make a unibody, but it sure is a heck of a thing to get straight again once you’ve been in an accident. The all-wheel drive (AWD) ver- sion of the Aerostar was one of the first test vehicles featured in this column and it has changed little since I drove it early in 1989. Take out the rear seats in the reg- ular length model and there's 3,836 All-wheel drive Ford Aerostar is gentle giant among family vans n page 10 of Ford's I993 Aerostar van brochure is a great graphic showing the huge box channel frame of this gen- tle giant of a family van. If the hood of the car can be opened from the outside - without ftrst triggering something inside the car - consider using hasps and a pad- lock or another locking device to secure the hood. It may not be attrac- tive, but it's a good idea. Ensure that you have a gas cap lock. Consider having your car equipped with a vehicle alarm - one that sounds like a siren. Another deterrent is special steel devices that lock the gas pedal and steering, or the gearshift, and make it more difficult for someone to steal your car. If possible, install a cellular car phone - so you can always call for help wherever you are. Otherwise, always keep a handful of quarters in the car so you can call from a payphone. How to streetproof your automobile ensure you car is in good repair - so it starts and runs reliably. Use steel-belted radial tires to reduce the chance of a flat, Keep the gas tank over a quarter full at all times, check the battery and electrical system regularly. You don't want car trouble to put you in a dangerous situation. Take a basic course in auto maintenance and repairs. If you know the basics, you may be able to quickly fix the problem and get back safely on the road. "We're taking this leadership action in Canada to inject further excitement into the market," said John Radford, vice president. general marketing, Ford of Canada. "Sales of these cars have been strong. In fact, their share of the market in April and May was up 1.2 points over the same period last year. We're using these popular full-size vehicles to test the concept of value pricing in Canada." Ford of Canada is reducing the prices of its popular Canadian-built full-size passenger cars by 12%. _ The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of new "special reduction" models of Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis has been reduced by up to $3,400. All "special reduction" models are well equipped The lowest-priced Ford Crown Victoria "special reduction" model has a MSRP of $22,695 and includes standard dual airbags, as well as, many popular features such as air conditioning, anti-lock braking system (ABS), power win- dows and door locks, speed control and AM/FM stereo cassette player. Higher-series models include substantially more equipment, The low- est-priced Grand Marquis GS also includes standard dual airbags and substantial additional features and is offered at $24,195. These "special reduction" models are not eligible for customer cash incentives currently available on regular Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis models. crown Victoria and Grand Marquis are built at Ford's St. Thomas (Ontario) Assembly Plant, which was recognized recently by JD. Power as having the best quality of all domestic manufacturer car plants in North America Ford cuts prices on full-size cars litres (135.5 cu. ft.) of cargo space. With the extended body version that balloons to 4,643 litres (164 cu. ft.). Ford has even designed in an inte- grated child seat in the middle bench seat. Power continues to be a standard 3.0-litre V6 direct from the Taurus/Sable on the regular length model. With our test vehicle this week, featuring extended body with electronic AWD, one gets the optional 4.0-litre engine found in several of Ford's working trucks including the Explorer. The 3.0 V6 produces 145 hp at 165 torques, while the 4.0 V6 pro- duces only IO more hp but a sub- stantially more 220 torques. That's why a properly equipped Aerostar can haul 2,177 kg or 4,800 lbs. Price is what makes Aerostar so attractive right now. An Aerostar in XL trim, which includes a host of things as standard has a list price of $19,795 for the standard length van and $20,895 for the stretched wheelbase; $22,195 for the sumptu- ously equipped XLT in standard and $23,295 for the stretch; and if you want it all, as in leather everything. there is the Eddie Bauer trim pack- age at $25,495 and the stretch at $26,595. Note that the price of an Eddie 1993 Ford Aerostar Bauer Aerostar is about the same as a standard trim Ford/Mercury Villager. The new Villager is a van which handles more like a car and the Aerostar is a van which cannot escape the pickup truck roots it has sprung from. It will never keep up with an Audi in the corners. but the Audi will never fit seven people and the the salesperson will start sput- tering when you ask about towing. During the snow storm prior to Christmas I was glad to have the big Aerostar for the confidence imparted by the AWD and the secu- rity of knowing it had a full frame had I come to grief in a fender ben- der. With all that glass in a van that big, one would think misting in that kind of weather would have been a problem. Not so " the Aerostar already has North American calibre heating and cooling and it has a separately adjustable rear fan to move the air around. Ergo, vision was perfect In the summer. by the way. the front and rear fans moving conditioned air around can get things cold enough to give you a chill If you have a lot of people. or things, to move around day in and day out. the Am has the room. the power. the towing ability. and cetuinlythepritztotnakeitwoeth considering. ,HEONL-YOOM TO BREA1 Ril!iigill l/tlg-hail, "'""""T"eaS"atiallt i A i ------ --- LOADED WITH: Air Conditioning ' 4 Speed Overdrive Automatic 3.0 Litre V6 Engine 4 Wheel Anti-Lock Brakes YOUR ONTARIO FORD AN OOM TO BREATHE: FO Front disc brake package: . Motomaster disc pads . Machine rotors and repack bearings (if required) . Top up fluid I . Brake inspection . Reg. $99.95 A A MONTH FOR 36 MONTHS Front Disc Brake Assembly YOUR ONTARI STOP dit What 's St OAKTOWN PLAZA Kerr Street & Speers Rd. 844-6381 Service Hours: Mon-Fri. 7:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m., Sat. 7:30 Sun. " a.m.-5 pm. ' 2 Great I Ganad For a l " BRAKE PARTS , BRAKE l Tilt Wheel Speed Control 7-Passenger Seating AM/FM Stereo/Cassette Power Windows Power Locks/Mirrors There', 5f,ts"f4 "i'ii,i,,",i, I5