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Wednesday, June 20, 2001 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER D1 ISSAN W f le n w all makes and moriH \ii Oakville Beaver Advertising Feature To advertise in this section call 845-3824 f ax 337-5567 Jeep Jamboree A test ofmetal and mettle By Rob Beintema SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER The trail guide straightened up, brushed some of the mud off her hands and shook her head. "It's stuck pretty good," she announced to the group gathered around the bogged-down vehicle. "Let's grab a tow strap and haul 'er out." We split up, some of us going back to our vehicles, some taking pictures or comparing notes for their attempted crossing of the mud hole, some gingerly picking their way through the muck and mire to attach the tow strap to the front of the stuck Jeep, while the driver sat stranded, waiting and grinning sheepishA motor revved, gears clashed and the last Jeep to be towed out of the mud wallow backed carefully to the edge as yet another rescue effort geared up. At this point a lot of people would have begun wondering what the heck they had got themselves.into. But not the kind of people that come out to play in the swamps, rock hills and forests of a Jeep Jamboree. A Jeep Jamboree is a single-file, three day long, four-wheel drive extravaganza. A weekend festival of testing metal and mettle, an off-roading, bog-thumping, bug-swatting, mud-splattering rite of passage that allows Jeep owners the opportunity to not just drive the alterna tive image of Jeep but to actually live it. I guess I could try to explain the attraction. The challenges of off-roading. O f getting stuck and of not getting stuck. Of problems and solutions, the team building camaraderie of being the helper and then the one that receives the help. But if I have to explain it, you're prob ably never going to get it anyway. The art of off-roading, the thrill and satisfaction o f testing your driving skills and your vehicle against the elements, it either appeals to you or it just plain doesn't. It certainly appealed to the hundred plus Jeep owners that we joined in the Buckhom area of the Kawarthas last summer. I've covered and driven several off-road events but my wife Mary, with only brief tastes of 4X4ing, was fascinat ed with the idea of off-roading. So, we decided it was her weekend to drive. And, yes, it is the kind of event you bring the spouse and kids along for. (See `G o' page D2) - All it takes is a little spirit, a sense of adventure and a little training to find fun at the wheel of a Jeep, as rookie offroader Mary Beintema found out at one of the annual weekend-long Jeep Jamborees in Kawartha. Jeep Grand Cherokee road sophistication ompletely redesigned two years ago, the 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee enjoys several small-but-functional refinements aimed at making the driving experience more pleasurable. This year, the big Jeep gets a revised five-speed automatic transmission that includes a sec ond overdrive gear. Also this year, the Limited model gets 17-inch alloy wheels with Michelin All-Season tires. C 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Power in the base Laredo is provided by a 4.0-litre straight six with 195 horsepower on tap, while the Limited uses a 4.7litre SOHC V8 rated at 230 horsepower. As all Jeeps are developed on the Rubicon Trail that winds through California's Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Grand Cherokee is a true off-roader, not just a pavement princess. The wheelbase has been kept short to avoid hang ups while crawling over rocks and through holes, and the spare tire remains inside - although positioned under the rear floor - so as not to compromise ground clearance (as might be the case with under-body-mounted spares). The Grand Cherokee's most sophisticated four-wheel-drive system - called Quadra-Drive directs as much as 100 per cent of vehicle power to just one wheel if that's where the trac tion is. p u m i H '3 n . . r C on Oakville's #1 Jeep dealer is proud to present the all new 2002 Jeep Liberty F IV E S T A R C E R T IF IE D ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Purchase o t l ^ NeworTfeedVt and Choose a. PLUS... Receive a free tank of gas with every new vehicle! In Stock Now! m M V - m .k 2002 loop Liberty Setting the new standard in compact SUV's 2002 Jeep Liberty is now available for immediate delivery. Be one of the first to own one. Jbttp Grimii Ciiyi ulibbli V8, power sunroof, leather, 17" chrome wheels and much more, 60th Anniversary badging.& floor mats. Six cylinder, dual tops,"Grizzly Wheels", sentry key and much more. $0 Downpayment $625.68/mth $2500 Downpayment $568.56/mth $3500 Downpayment $545.72/mth $0 Downpayment $389.00/mth $2500 Downpayment $329.98/mth $3500 Downpayment $302.60/mth ^ L iD i J U L l l C iL H iV I L L I a U windows and door locks, tilt, cruise, CD, keyless entry, security alarm, trailer package and more. $0 Downpayment $526.38/mth $2500 Downpayment $469.26/mth $3500 Downpayment $446.42/mth 3.3L VB, 4-speed, automatic, power windows & locks, lilt, cruise, cassette, air, sunscreen glass and more. The premium Chrysler small car with the features people want in an affordable sedan; room, power and comfort $0 Downpayment $348.95/mth $2500 Downpayment $292.90/mth $3500 Downpayment $270.48/mth 0% Purchase Financing for 60 months on 2001 Neons. O.A.C. Monthly payments based on 48 month lease term, 20,4000km/yr. Leases based on amount down, plus freight protector plus, air tax. applicable taxes & license. OAC. Some vehicles may not be exactly as illustrated. The place to lease or buv since 1961 2388 ROYAL WINDSOR DR., OAKVILLE 905-845-7575 www.glenleven