The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

D1 THE O A K V IL L E BEAVER Wednesday. March 21, 2001 AutoGlass fa t UPHOLSTERY SEATS, BOAT TOPS, CONVERTIBLE TOPS... CHRYSLER · DODGE · JEEP APPLE See me before you purchase or lease \THir next vehic le 1033 Speers Rd. 8 4 2 -6 0 6 0 Ati Oakville Beaver Advertising Feature To advertise in this section call 8 4 5 -3 8 2 4 23 S S Roynl Windsor Dr., S4 > 7 5 7 5 Dodge Durango combines luxury and common sense T iming, they say, is everything and it was fortuitous timing that led to my first test drive of the Dodge Durango. This mid-size SUV debuted as a 1998 model at the very height of Chrysler's resurgence from the grave it had dug with the infamous JIM ROBINSON RoadWorthy K-cars to the pinnacle of industry envy with cars like the Concorde, Viper, and the mind-blowing Dodge RAM truck. The Durango had that cool RAMlook and was introduced at the Detroit Auto Show with a bravura press kit made to look like a box of Cherrios. Dodge called it the "right size" SUV and touted it as a viable option to the ubiq uitous Ford Explorer and the smaller and more cramped Jimmy/Blazer duo from GM. This test drive comes thanks to weatherman Harold Hussain whose dire warnings about the first big snowstorm of the winter season were about to come true. Driving a Chrysler Neon R/T Sport with low-profile performance tires seemed like a bad plan. I called Chrysler's Toronto area PR man Tom MacPherson who kindly rustled up the Durango as tested here. I can't remember why I hadn't driven a Durango before, but I was immediate ly impressed by the interior room. While I think of a "compact" SUV as being in the Explorer/Cherokee class, I did not know the Durango could seat up to eight people, thanks to an optional ($595) third row seat. By folding down the seats there is 88 cu. ft. of volume available. Properly equipped, the Durango can accommodate up to 1,800 lbs. of cargo which is full-size pickup 2 0 0 1 D o d g e D u ra n g o territory. There are two engines offered, both V8s. Available on Durango since its introduction is the proven 5.9-litre OHV unit producing 245 hp and 335 lb./ft. of torque. New this year and fitted to my tester is the "Next Generation" 4.7-litre unit that uses a single overhead camshaft to produce 235 hp and 295 lb./ft. of torque. There is one transmis sion, an electronically-controlled fourspeed automatic with overdrive lockout and converter clutch. There are two ver sions of 4WD transfer cases available. One is a part-time system with no centre differential, great for about town and mild off-roading. The other is a full time system with centre planetary dif ferential with lock. This you would use for serious off the beaten path traveling, or the snow I was about to encounter. Inside for 2001 the trim has been changed and a new standard tilt wheel is fitted. Dual-zone heating and cooling is standard up front while there are sepa rate heating and ventilation controls for the second and third row seats along with a separate heater for those in the back. That $895 option was fitted to my tester. The Durango has a base price of $38,410. In addition to the third row seat and rear heater/air conditioning sys tem mentioned above, the test vehicle came with a little something called the SLT Plus Decor Group. Another way to describe that would be the 'everything but the kitchen sink' decor group. At $3,240 it included the 16-inch wheel and P265 tires mentioned above along with matching spare tire, univer sal garage opener, security alarm, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, body-colored running boards and fenders flares, AM/FM/CD/Equalizer stereo, power driver and passenger front seats, rear view auto dim mirror, heated outside mirrors, wood grain trim and an over head console. And just to make sure I wanted for nothing, Dodge also dialed in the $1,450 Customer Preferred Package that included floor console mats, fog lamps, roof rack with 150-lb. capacity, special door trim panels and eight-way driver's seat. Lastly there was $560 for the trailer towing package, $520 for the fourwheel antilock brakes, $465 for the electronic shift-on-the-fly centre t ransfer case and finally, $330 for the limited slip rear differential. That brought the Dodge Durango tested here to $46,565, not counting the $810 shipping charge. That's a load of money no matter how you slice it, but is it money well spent? Considering that the second day I had the Durango there was 35-cm of snow in my driveway and the plow ramped that up double when it came down by street, it really was the differ ence between getting to work or being grounded in the snowbelt. With the truck in 4Hi and all that torque, the Durango simply moved up, over, and through any snow obstacles. With a huge 95-litre gas tank, it did n't seem like I was making extra stops to fill up, despite spending a lot of time in 4Hi on the concrete paved (thus slick) Highway 407 at cruising speed. I was grateful, however, that the V8 takes reg ular fuel. O f course the other advantage is the height of the seating position in a SUV that really comes into its own when you're traveling in slippery conditions when the sun is in that half light period that exists between sun-up and down. With wet snow still falling and the temperature right on freezing, the heat ed outside mirrors were especially handy when trying to thread my way up the driveway in reverse and back into the garage at the end of the day. But that's why people are prepared to spend big money for these big trucks. You may only need a SUV's attributes two or three times a year, and then it's money well spent. Frankly, trudging through the snow drifts, even in a $100,000 super luxury car, doesn't bring the sense of security of four-wheel-drive and being able to see above the crowd. But then I started thinking. Not only does the Durango come from the same blended DaimlerChrysler family as Mercedes-Benz, but a vehicle like the Durango offers a similar level of luxury and the ability to seat up to eight. Ergo why buy a premium car when you can get premium fittings at a more reason able cost? Civility and good common sense along with amenities and the abilities surely sums up the 2001 Dodge Durango, improve gas mileage over the 5.2-litre V8 it replaces. A 5.9-litre V8 is also available. The sa les Staff wi to make y o u r day! W f "H ow I shopped for a car in my living room w ithout getting tire m arks on the carpet." - A rt M orrow, Interrut Entrepreneur ant) Saturn S-Series Owner. DEALS LIKE NEVER BEFORE... PROBABLY NEVER AGAIN I 'm P A R T O W N E R o f a y o u n g c o m p u te r s ta rt- u p a n d 1 d o m o st o f m y sh o p p in g on th e n et. I ev en b o u g h t m y n ew S L S e d a n online. I w e n t on th e S a tu rn w eb site, p ric e d th e m odel I w a n te d a n d o rd e re d it. N ow , if o n ly I could fin d tim e to d riv e it. The 2 0 0 1 S L S edan finance rate ! S14,988M S R P i ! 2001 DODGE CARAVAN All n e w for 2001. Pow er w in d o w s, p o w e r locks, tilt, cruise, cassette, air, 4 doors, sunscreen glass & m ore! 1.9% $17 6 /m o./48 moj. 2.9% lea.* rate S i ,700 downpayment $0 DOWN $2500 DOWN $3500 DOWN 0 . $341" PER MONTH $285'7 PER MONTH $2625 4 PER MONTH Plus taxes & license. Leases based o n 20,4 00 km s /yr., 48 m onths. T h e S a tu rn D iffe re n ce : 2 0 0 1 IEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LTD Fully loaded including 4.0L 6 cylinder, pov sunroof, heated seats, 10 disc C D player, fu w security and m uch m ore. T h e b e n ch m a rk ! sports utility vehicles. · 3 0 -D a y o r 2 5 0 0 km M o n e y B ack G u a ra n te e · N o H assle N o H ag g le B uying E x p erien ce · D e n t-R e s ista n t P o ly m er P anels · 3 y r./6 0 ,0 0 0 k m W arran ty · 5 y r . / 100,000 km P o w ertrain W arran ty finance rate ; S 1 7 J9JA 1SR P ; 1 1.9% $1 7 4 /n w J 4 8 auu. 2 3 % lease rate $2,400 downpayment $0 DOWN $2500 DOWN $3500 DOWN $630" PER MOf| $5584 9 PER M O f $5295 6 PER MONTH Plus taxes & license. Leases based on 20,400km s/yr.. 36 m onths. 2001 CHRYSLER 300M finance rate \ 2 3 6 !m oJ48 mos. $20,960M S R P J 2.9% lease rate S2.800 downpayment 1 .9 3.5L, V6 253hp engine, leather seats, power door locks, pow er w indow s, auto, air,am/fm cassette/CD player and m ore. $0 DOWN $2500 DOWN $3500 DOWN SATLRN. A D i f f e r e n t K in d * / C o m p a n y . A D i f f e r e n t k i n d o f c a r . $5895 9 PER $5167 6 PER $4876 2 PER Plus taxes & license. Leases based o n 20,400km s/yr., T h e m i d - s i z e 2 0 0 1 L W 2 0 0 S p o r t W agon 1 . 9 % ^ , 1*290 !m o J 48 mo*. $26. ISO. IfS R P 2.9% lease rate ; ! 2001 SEBRING SEDAN All n e w for 2001. Loaded w ith p o w e r w in dow s, p o w e r locks, keyless entry, CD player and so m u ch m ore. Drive this car and com pare. You w o n 't believe it. Bu y o n lin e a t s a tu r n c a n a d a .c o m · 1 -8 8 8 -4 S A T U R N S J J 2 5 downpayment T he paym ents show n are based on the M S R P o f $14,988 for the 2001 S L ISA , $17,393 for o u r 2001 S C I ISA , $20,960 for o u r mid-size 2001 L100 ISA and $26,130 for our mid-size 2001 LW 200 1SF, and includes freight, P D I an d excise tax w h ere applicable. License, taxes, insurance and a refundable security deposit are extra. Lease paym ent is based on a lease o f 80,000 km over 4 y e a rs w ith an ex tra charge of 12 cents p er kilom etre o ver th at distance. S a tu rn 's lease and finance rates o f 2.9% and 1.9% are available u p to 48 m onths, while 2.9% financing is available up to 60 m onths. Rates apply to custom ers w ith approved credit. Exam ple: $10,000 a t 1.9% A PR. the m onthly paym ent is $217 for 48 m onths. Cost of borrow ing $393. Exam ple: $10,000 a t 2.9% A PR , th e m onthly paym ent is $180 for 60 m onths. C ost o f borrow ing is $755. If y o u 'd like to buy y o u r S aturn vehicle at lease end, its $5,996 for the SL, $8,001 for the S C I, $8,384 for the L100 an d $10,975 for the LW200, plus taxes. W ith dow npaym ents as show n above, the m axim um lease obligation is $10,108 for the SL, $10,723 for the S C I, $14,112 for the L100 an d $17,115 for the LW200. not including taxes. $0 DOWN $2500 DOWN $3500 DOWN $39Q2 1 PER $3274 9 PER $2977 3 PER Plus taxes & license. Leases based o n 20,400km s/yr.. 36 2001 CHRYSLER Plus taxes & lice n se . Leases based o n 2 0 .4 00 km s /yr., 0 purchase financing for 60 months on 2001 Neons I n i j f o r birv m v 1861 SATURNTM of Oakville 507 Speers Road (905) 845-1610 www.buddssaturn.saturncanada.cx3m T I* pudds / gf 12 Company s o o o o 2388 ROYAL WINDSOR DRIVE, OAKVILLE 905-845-7575