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Friday, October 25, 2013

drivewayBC.ca

| Welcome to the driver’s seat

In a two-hour drive, the only time I dropped the anchors was when one of Amsterdam’s kazillion cyclists cut in front of me. Keith Morgan

The BMWi electric car powered its way with ease around city streets and along picturesque Dutch canals.

KEITH MORGAN

The future is electric AMSTERDAM – BMW has joined the race for the electric car dollar. On the evidence of two days driving the funky-looking all-electric i3 through the narrow streets of old Amsterdam and alongside the picturesque canals of rural Holland, the German manufacturer may have a winner. For starters, it is simply great fun to drive. The lithium-ion battery, encased in aluminum cage below the five-seater cabin, provides enough instant zap to the electric motor to propel the car smoothly to 100 klicks in less than eight seconds. Left the stopwatch at

home, but counting “one-and-two etc.” to count seconds, my lips barely mouthed “six” before the speedo leapt from 80 to 120 km/h while passing. It handles beautifully at any speed and hugs the road; thanks to the technology-laden aluminum platform, that gives it a very low centre of gravity. Turns on a Euro too, as we found during the many U-turns made on blocked streets. Of course, F1 take-offs will suck the battery dry somewhat more quickly but you need not be a snail in the so-called Comfort mode to achieve the advertised 160 kilometres range on a full

Question OF THE WEEK:

you have a car for the tank, sorry, fully-charged Interior and beyond. Way battery. Plug it in at beyond. As the battery home overnight and you runs low, a two-cylinder, are ready to roar; go for 647cc gas engine, which the enhanced charger sits neatly by the side and raring to go in three of its electric brother, hours. kicks in and generates The remarkable efficiency power to top up the is largely due to two battery. Push it and gas factors. The carbon-fibre The lithium-ion stops will be frequent body is light and regenerbecause only a minuscule ative braking generously battery provides nine-litre tank feeds it. juices up the cells. In enough instant zap However, most folks will a two-hour drive, the to the electric motor get a chance to recharge only time I dropped the to propel the car before too many visits to anchors was when one the pump. of Amsterdam’s kazillion smoothly to 100 There is another hope cyclists cut in front of klicks in less than for those living beyond me. Ruined my score, the eight seconds. Hope. Private companies blighter. are seriously evaluating Accepting the more slugKeith Morgan the supply of fast chargish EcoPro and EcoPro+ gers that top up batteries modes will add 20 and in less than half an hour. 40 km to the range. Eyes will be on the Sea-to-Sky Highway Frankly, in this configuration the i3, is where chargers are now found at Brigood for any daily commute between tannia Beach. And they are popping up Vancouver and Abbotsford and most in parking lots the length and breadth journeys in southern Vancouver Island. of the province as the popularity of The very areas where BMW expects to plug-in hybrid models by other brands do the most business. grows. The i3 offers premium brand luxury for few dollars short of $45,000. Shell out View our BMWi3 gallery and read another $4,000 grand for the unimagmore about the electric car at inatively named ‘range-extender’ and drivewayBC.ca

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S T OF P BEReader’s Choice G Best Used Car Dealer

Best Used Car Dealership

We all have a favourite car in our past. What was your best car ever and why? Go to drivewayBC.ca to submit your answer and enter to win a $100 Safeway gift card Post a photo if you have one.

Safety Tip: As drivers, please slow down next week and be extra vigilant, especially around residential areas. Children are always caught up in the excitement of Halloween and can easily forget the rules of the road.

Find more online at

drivewayBC.ca

Award Winner

Car Salesperson

2012 Lyman Miller

YOUR NO.1 USED CAR DEALER! THANK YOU for voting us best used car dealership for the second year in a row! Come see us to find out what makes us #1

2559 Queensway St. 250.564.2850 Toll Free: 1.888.564.2850 www.queenswayautoworld.com

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minivan-esque vehicles she looked into were the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Mazda5. Though the Honda and Toyota appealed to her, it was the Dodge Grand Caravan that had exactly what she was looking for. It was in her price range and had some handy features that would allow easy loading and unloading of her gear. She even really likes its look. Amy tells me, “I can fit two mountain bikes inside with people and still have room for more.” The Dodge Grand Caravan that she selected is the Crewe trim, which also came with some extras. She has a towing package, a rear DVD entertainment system (perfect for passing time on ferry rides!), Stow ‘n Go seats, remote

Car Girl’s Garage Amy Lawson, 35, leads an active life. She likes to be outdoors, to play sports, surf, bake and has a thriving social life. Professionally, she was recently promoted to be the Territory Manager for Drydock Footwear Group. Her territory covers British Columbia and Alberta. Being on the road is a sizeable component of her work. When it came time to trade in her Nissan Xtrail – which she loved to pieces – she was torn when deciding what vehicle to purchase. “The Xtrail has been a fabulous car, but I’ve outgrown it and need something that can better accommodate all my equipment,” she says. In the process, she considered SUVs, hatchbacks and crossovers. The Ford Flex, Ford Escape, Honda Pilot, Mitsubishi Outlander were on her list to look at. Amy states, “When I started to research vehicles, the No. 1 thing on my priority list was interior space. I needed lots of it.” She continues, “I didn’t mind if the vehicle wasn’t sexy! I need functional.

‘‘ ’’ I need functional.

Alexandra Straub

Good looks were secondary to me.” Because of her current role, it requires travelling around the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, BC and Alberta with various promotional gear, display units, sample products and more. Not to mention, if she can pack in her sports equipment like her bicycle, snowboard or surfboard in, too, that would be even better. Price was also a factor for her. “I had a budget to work with, and I needed my payments to be around $500 a month,” Amy mentions. “And since I’d be spending a fair amount of time behind the wheel, I’d need something that was comfortable, too.”

When chatting about potential matches, the idea of a minivan came up. I saw the excitement in her eyes. In her personal life, she is not the typical minivan candidate. With no children to drive to hockey or soccer practice, some people might question her enthusiasm. But to her, it seemed like the perfect fit. “I was just so excited about it. Minivans make life so much easier and you can just do so much with them,” she explains. “It made a lot more sense than a pickup and much more sense than an SUV.” A few minivans/

keyless entry to the doors and liftgate and more. While she can’t be happier with her purchase, the signing on the dotted line did make her heart beat quite a bit faster. “There’s a lot of anxiety to buying a car. It’s a big purchase and you want to make sure you make the best choice you can.” And speaking of choices, the biggest question when selecting her chariot of choice? “Should I get the white one or the black one?!” she jokingly asked. She went with black. When looking back on the experience and looking at her Grand Caravan, she happily says, “What I didn’t think would be very sexy vehicle ended up being the sexiest to me. And there’s so much space!” Ladies, if you’re looking at buying a new vehicle and would like some suggestions/assistance, email the Car Girl’s Garage and you could potentially be featured in Driveway. Include your name, email address where best to be reached, a little bit about yourself, what you’re looking for and what price range you need to work with. thecargirlsgarage@ gmail.com Twitter.com/cargirlsgarage

Friday, October 25, 2013

Instant Patronage Days

MEMBERS ONLY SALE

The Vanderhoof Co-op thanks its members for their support by offering

INSTANT CASH OFF

FRIDAY NOV 1 & SATURDAY NOV 2, 2013 If you’re not a member, join now and enjoy the benefits!

All sales, cash, cheque, Visa or Mastercard, American Express & Debit Card.

95 The War Amps legacy of “amputees helping amputees” continues, thanks to public support of the Key Tag and Address Label Service.

The War Amps

years 1918-2013

Elizabeth and Annelise

Order key tags and address labels at:

The War Amps 1 800 250-3030 waramps.ca Charitable Registration No.: 13196 9628 RR0001

Northern 2013 Prius V

299

48 mo LEASE

3000 DOWN OR EQUIVALENT TRADE-IN

FINANCING FROM

CASH PURCHASE

29,170

2013 Tacoma 4x4 Access Cab V6

329

48 mo LEASE

3650 DOWN OR EQUIVALENT TRADE-IN

FINANCING FROM

CASH PURCHASE

CASH PURCHASE INCENTIVE

2,000

32,440

2013 Tundra 4x4 Dcab 4.6L 48 mo LEASE

1290 DOWN OR EQUIVALENT TRADE-IN $

CASH PURCHASE

IT PAYS TO READ THE FINE PRINT: Lease and ﬁnance offers for qualiﬁed retail customers only on new 2013 models sold and delivered before October 31, 2013. Annual lease kms @ 20000 Total lease obligation: Prius $20,940, Tacoma $23,390, Tundra $27,030. Northern climate packages, license, insurance and applicable taxes are extra. Purchase price includes freight, predelivery and levies.

CASH PURCHASE INCENTIVE

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Friday, October 25, 2013

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Ford Fusion: 2010 to 2012 Amid lingering global financial turmoil, recession recovery was already in high-gear at Ford, with

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A new optional safety feature on the 2010 Fusion was a blind spot system.

Bob McHugh

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edition of Fusion with an Atkinson cycle version of the 2.5-litre engine and an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (e-CVT). The hybrid’s battery is a nickel-metal hydride type that’s smaller and lighter than competitors and it’s temperature is controlled by air extracted from the passenger cabin. Claimed city/highway fuel consumption is a very impressive 4.6/5.4 L/100km. Fuel consumption ratings for the other Fusion engines are as follows; 9.4/6.4 L/100 km (city/

highway) for the 2.5-litre; 11.1/7.3 (city/highway) for the 3.0-litre V6 models; and 12.7/8.3 (city/ highway) for the 3.5-litre with all-wheel drive. A new optional safety feature on the 2010 Fusion (well worth having) was a Blind Spot system that comes with Cross Traffic Alert, which was a unique to Ford system. Radar sensors in the rear side quarter panels can detect a moving object within a 20 metre (65-ft) range on either side. Great to have when vision is restricted (as it often is)

when backing out of a parking stall. This generation is also a quieter Fusion. Changes to reduce cabin noise levels include an acoustic windshield, thicker frontdoor glass, new hood insulators, additional sound deadening in the trunk and a new headliner in the cabin that’s made with an absorption material. An air filter that removes respiratory irritants and toxins from entering the cabin was also a new standard feature of Fusion. A new standard in-

novation was a fuel filler system called EasyFuel. Not only does it eliminate the need to remove a gas cap when filling up, it reduces evaporative emissions. You simply push the fuel-pump nozzle into a gas tank receptacle and it automatically seals shut when removed. Six standard airbags helped the Fusion attain a top five-star crash-test rating. If an air bag is deployed, Fusion also has a unique emergency alert system that flashes the hazard warning lights and sounds the

an over a 40 per cent yearover-year sales gain that made Ford the top-selling automaker in Canada, in 2009. It was also the year it launched an all-new 2010 model year version of its popular mid-sized family car the Ford Fusion. The 2010 Fusion was offered in SE and SEL trim levels with a choice of a 2.5-litre I4 or a 3.0-litre V6 engines and a 3.5-litre V6 powered an all-new Fusion Sport model with all-wheeldrive. Ford also introduced its first hybrid

horn, to attract attention. An electronic stabilitycontrol system with a brake-activated traction control system was a new standard safety feature. The MyKey security system was made a standard feature on the 2011 Fusion, a spotter mirror, to help eliminate blind spots, was incorporated in the door mirrors and the SE edition got standard automatic headlights. No significant changes were made for 2012. Good reliability, owner satisfaction and low cost of repair ratings helped the 2012 Ford Fusion get a “Recommend” rating from Consumer Reports. Ford Fusion buyers also benefit from having a good supply of them on the market and used prices tend to be reasonable. A potentially great value pre-owned purchase. Prices vary depending on a used vehicle’s condition, mileage, usage and history. A complete mechanical check should

always be performed by a reliable auto technician prior to purchase. Recalls on the 2010 to 2012 Ford Fusion: 2010 - A problem with the manual recliner mechanisms on the front seats may cause additional movement of the seat back. Dealers will replace the seat recliner mechanisms. 2010 - A park pawl in the automatic transmission may not fully engage when shifted into “Park” and this could allow the vehicle to roll on an incline, if the park brake is not activated. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the park rod guide retention pin. 2010/2011- The lug nuts on vehicles equipped with 17 inch steel wheels may loosen and this could result in wheel separation. Dealers will replace the lug nuts on all four wheels, inspect the rear brake rotors and replace them as necessary. Drivingwheel@shaw.ca

Price Check - 2010 to 2012 Ford Fusion (October 2013) Year Edition Expect to Pay Today 2010 SEL $11,000 to $14,000 2011 SEL $13,000 to $16,000 2012 SEL $16,000 to $20,000

Remembrance Day 2013 If you have a story you would like to share of someone you know who has served, we would like to publish your story.

A oppor n t honou unity to r a fa memb er vet mily be pr eran w ovi il permi ded, as spa l ts, fre c e e of to all Free P cost, reade ress rs.

Remembrance Day reminds us that we must not forget those who have served and are currently serving throughout the world to ensure the freedom we enjoy is protected. The Prince George Free Press’ annual Remembrance Day feature incorporates photos and stories of loved ones and has developed extensive readership over the years. To show our community your support and remembrance of those who have served and are currently serving, take this opportunity to say a few words in this wonderful keepsake edition.

Send us a picture of the person you would like to honor, their name, rank, regiment, and 30-40 words about their service to our country. Also please provide your name, indicating if it should be included with the story. email to: addesign3@pgfreepress.com by noon, Mon., November 4, 2013

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CHEVROLET.CA

Call Wood Wheaton Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac at 250-564-4466, or visit us at 2879 Hwy. 16 West, Prince George. [License #9621]

ON NOW AT YOUR BC CHEVROLET DEALERS. Chevrolet.ca 1-800-GM-DRIVE. Chevrolet is a brand of General Motors of Canada. ‡/†/**/≠/¥ Offers apply to the purchase of a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab 4X4 1WT (G80, B30, H2R), 2014 Chevrolet Cruze LS 1SA, 2014 Chevrolet Equinox LS FWD equipped as described. Freight & PPSA included ($1,650/$1,600). License, insurance, registration, administration fees and taxes not included. Dealers are free to set individual prices. Limited time offers which may not be combined with other offers, and are subject to change without notice. Offers apply to qualified retail customers in BC Chevrolet Dealer Marketing Association area only. Dealer trade may be required. GMCL, RBC Royal Bank, TD Auto Financing Services or Scotiabank may modify, extend or terminate this offer in whole or in part at any time without notice. Conditions and limitations apply. See Chevrolet dealer for details. *Some features advertised are available features and not standard on all models. See your Chevrolet dealer for details. *≠When equipped with available 6.2L EcoTec3 V8. Class is light-duty full-size pickups. ††Requires 2WD Double or Crew Cab with the available 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 engine and Max Trailering Package. Maximum trailer weight ratings are calculated assuming a base vehicle, except for any option(s) necessary to achieve the rating, plus driver. The weight of other optional equipment, passengers and cargo will reduce the maximum trailer weight your vehicle can tow. Comparison based on wardsauto.com 2013 Light-Duty Large Pickup segment and latest competitive data available. Excludes other GM vehicles. Class is light-duty full-size pickups. †0%/0.9%/1.5% lease APR available for 60/48/36 months on a new or demonstrator 2014 Cruze LS/ 2014 Equinox LS FWD/ 2014 Chevrolet Silverado Crew Cab 4X4 1WT, O.A.C by GM Financial. Applies only to qualified retail customers in BC Chevrolet Dealer Marketing Association area only. Annual kilometre limit of 20,000 km, $0.16 per excess kilometre. Down payment or trade and/or security deposit may be required. Monthly payments may vary depending on down payment/trade. Dealers are free to set individual prices. PPSA/RDPRM is not due. Insurance, license, dealer fees, and applicable taxes not included. Offer may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives. GMCL may modify, extend or terminate offers in whole or in part at any time without notice. Conditions and limitations apply. See participating dealer for details. Truck Bucks offer only valid from October 1, 2013 to January 2, 2014 (the “Program Period”) to retail customers who own or are currently leasing (during the Program Period) a GM or competitor pickup truck to receive a $1,000 credit toward the purchase, finance or lease of an eligible new 2013 or 2014 Model Year GMC Sierra Light Duty, GMC Sierra Heavy Duty, Chevrolet Silverado Light Duty, Chevrolet Heavy Duty, or 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche. Only (1) credit may be applied per eligible vehicle sale. This offer may not be redeemed for cash and may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives available on GM vehicles. The $1,000 credit includes HST/GST/QST/PST as applicable by province. As part of the transaction, dealer will request current vehicle registration and/or insurance to prove ownership. GMCL reserves the right to amend or terminate this offer, in whole or in part, at any time without prior notice. Void where prohibited by law. Additional conditions and limitations apply. $3,500 manufacturer to dealer delivery credit has been applied to the purchase and lease offers of 2014 Silverado Crew Cab, and is applicable to retail customers only. Other credits available on select Silverado models. Offer ends October 31st. ≠Offer available to retail customers in Canada only $1000 Bonus cash applies to new 2013/2014 Chevrolet Cruze, Trax, Equinox, Traverse, Silverado, 2013/2014 Buick Verano, Encore, Enclave, 2013/2014 GMC Terrain, Acadia, Sierra and 2013/2014 Cadillac ATS, SRX, 2013 CTS vehicles delivered between October 22, 2013, and October 31, 2013. The $1,000 bonus cash includes HST/GST/QST/PST as applicable by province. Price includes freight and PDI but excludes license, insurance, registration, fees associated with filing at movable property registry/PPSA fees, duties, and taxes. Dealer may sell for less. Dealer trade may be required. Offer may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives. GMCL may modify, extend or terminate this offer, in whole or in part, at any time without notice. See dealer for details. ‡Offer valid only to eligible retail lessees in Canada who have obtained credit approval by GM Financial, have entered into a lease agreement with GM Financial and who accept delivery from October 11, 2013, through January 2, 2014, of a new eligible 2014 model. General Motors of Canada will pay the first month’s lease payment (inclusive of taxes and any applicable pro-rata amount normally due at lease delivery as defined on the lease agreement). $0 first month lease payment means no bi-weekly payments will be due in the first month of your lease agreement. After the first month, lessee will be required to make all remaining scheduled payments over the remaining term of the lease agreement. This offer may not be redeemed for cash and may not be combined with certain other consumer incentives available on GM vehicles. General Motors of Canada Limited reserves the right to amend or terminate this offer, in whole or in part, at any time without prior notice. Void where prohibited by law. Additional conditions and limitations apply. See dealer for details. †*Comparison based on 2013 Polk segmentation: Compact SUV and latest competitive data available and based on the maximum legroom available. +The Best Buy Seal is a registered trademark of Consumers Digest Communications, LLC, used under license. **Available in select markets. Subscription sold separately after trial period. Visit siriusxm.ca for details.