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SECTION 1-PAOE t PLAINDEALER HERALD. FRIDAY. DECEMBER 7.1H4 Nation/World -- mm Avoid a lemon when buying a used car; here are some tips A real "pearl" of a By Peter Bohr United Press International What's the matter? You say your teenage son had his eyes on his girlfriend when they should have been on the road. He cracked up your car, and the insurance company won't give you enough to replace It with a new one. Or you say you want a fancy Porsche -- indeed, you can't live another day without a fancy Porsche -- but the only way you could afford a brand-new one is if you inherit a bundle. Well cheer up! All you have to do is buy a used car. It won't be as easy as buying a new car. When you buy new, you just toodle down to the dealer of your choice, do a little haggling and drive off. You'll h a v e n o w o r r i e s a b o u t breakdowns, and if you should have trouble, you're protected by a warranty. •> Buying a good used car is more challenging, but it's not all that tough if you follow the right pro­ cedure. First, , determine how much you can spend. Then sub­ tract 10 percent to 20 percent as a reserve for immediate repairs, sales tax, smog-inspection fees, ind other niggling costs. Now you're ready for the second .step, locating cars for sale. There are several sources, and the most promising will probably be the classified advertising section of •*your local newspaper. There, you'll find ads from both private parties and dealers. Most ads will list prices, ana a quick perusal will give you a feel for which cars areselling for what prices; Another source is used-car lots. Should you buy from a dealer's lot rather than a private party?!. You'll usually get a better price from a private party. A private in­ dividual doesn't have the ex­ penses of operating a dealership, salesmen's commissions and war­ ranties. In addition, the private party can tell you his car's history and may be able to supply service records; dealer salesmen rarely have such information. However, for a dealer's premium price, you should expect a premium car. Try to find a dealer who has a new-car fran­ chise for the same kind of used car you want to buy. A Porsche dealer, for instance, who takes in a used Porsche on trade will know what he's buying. He'll have qualified mechanics and factory parts. Chances are that he'll want to uphold his reputation by offering only good, clean cars. After all, he hopes you'll come back to him for ser­ vice or, someday, to buy a new Porsche. A dealer can also offer limited warranties on used cars. There are a couple of other used-car sources as well. "Auto Trader," a catalog of used cars, is published weekly in local editions in many areas of the country. Each "Auto Trader" ad is ac­ companied by a picture of the car. The best source of all is a trusted mechanic. Ask him if he knows if any of his customers have good cars for sale. Because he's been servicing the cars, he can give you the straight scoop on their condition. Once you've found a likely pro­ spect, your third task is making certain that you're not about to buy someone else's heap of trou­ ble. Always have the car in­ spected by a mechanic. Even if the car belongfc to a dealer, have it checked by an independent mechanic. A complete inspection will cost about $10 or $20 and it's well worth it. Expect the mechanic to get under the car and look for any evidence of collision damage or rust. He should perform a com­ pression test to check the engine's condition, and he should take the car for a brief test drive. If the car seems basically sound and has only a few minor pro­ blems, ask the mechanic for repair-cost estimates. Armed with such a list, you can negotiate with the seller to cut the car's price. If you're dickering with a dealer, of­ fer to pay his asking price, but in­ sist that he make the necessary repairs; he can make the repairs at his cost in his shop. Follow these steps, and you'll find the right used car. Your troubles are over. ByG.S.Khalsa United Press International SEATTLE -- There were pearls in the champagne, pearls ringing the caviar and pearls poured into the hands of the waiters at a din­ ner this week for a few old friends. More than a dozen pounds cf ex­ otic American Sweetwater natural pearls, including one so big it is known as "the whale," bedecked platters for the five- course meal for a dozen people. It was organized by Lowell Jones, 41, a St. Louis rare gem dealer who specializes in pearls found in American waters, and Francois and Julia Kissel, owners of the Brasserie Pittsbourg French restaurant in Seattle. The worth of the pearls was approx­ imately $184,000, but the guests got to keep only the little ones in their drinks. "Julia and Francois are old friends of mine and we hadn't seen each other for a long time so we decided to celebrate by having what should be the most expensive HISTORY WEEK In honor of the 166th an­ niversary of Illinois' statehood, Governor Thompson has proclaimed December 3 to 9 as Illinois History Week. "Knowledge of our state's great heritage provides citizens with a clearer understanding of the present a greater ability to plan for the future," said the anvcmnr A A A A A A A A A A i CUT YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS TREE in our beautiful COLORADO SPRUCE AND DOUGLAS FIR FIELDS Thickly Branched Excellent Shapes CHARLES KLEHM & SON o NURSERY Route 47 A Ware Rd. 2 miles north of Rt. 120 (Just north of McHenry County Courthouse) Open 7 days 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 312-551-3720 GET FREE GIFTS from the KConica Qift Boutique COLLECT (7 VALUABLE COUPONS INSIDE EVERY Monica* VHS and Beta Video Cassette $ COME SEE US FOR BROCHURES AND ALL THE DETAILS ALGONQUIN TEAM ELECTRONICS Route 62 & Lake Cook Rd. (312) 658-8600 BARRINQTON TAKE ONE VIDEO 203 S.W. Northwest Hwy. (312) 382-3932 ROUND LAKE BEACH THE VIDEO STATION 966 E/Rolling Rd. (312) 223-1212 dinner in history," Jones said in a telephone interview ]ust before Monday's repast. "We started talking about art and food and how we should use them together and now we're in the middle of it," said Kissel. Ten other people were invited, most of them wealthy friends of the organizers. After the meal, Jones walked about, pouring pearls into the hands of the the restaurant staff. Francois Kissell called it "a princely gesture." There was a first course of fresh salmon roe caviar, surrounded on a silver tray by 12 pounds of pearls worth $50,000. A silver, dish in the middle carried the $43,000 Puget Sound Pearl, a 2-inch-long abalone pearl shaped naturally like a whale. Served with the first course was smoked salmon in miniature puff pastry and a Mother of Pearl cocktail concocted by Francois Kissel, containing triple sec, vodka, lime Juice and a liqueur called Sambuca Romana. Next came oysters baked in champagne sauce, served with a glass of champagne with pearls in the bottom of the glass. The main course included chicken quenelles, white truffles, white rice with pearl onions and cherry tomatoes and baby peas. The salad course called for poached leeks with viniagrette mimosa on a bed of green spinach leaves decorated with three black olives -- again, topped by a pearl. And finally, for dessert, a chocolate chestnut cake decorated by a $63,000 matched pair of brooches in the shape of swans, swimming on a sea of pearls embedded in white and brown chocolate. Jones said the pearls comgosin^ the bodies of the swans were almost identically shaped, yet one was found in Kentucky and the other in Wisconsin. The big, expensive pearls did not go home with the guests. And none, according to the Kissels, was swallowed. After the meal, Jones said he donated three-quarters of a pound of pearls, worth about $4,500, to Northwest Second Harvest, a food distributor for the poor, "to show that we're not totally self- Jndulgent. 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