Wiazda’s special

From page 21

trol, and a resulting feeling of
safety and sccurity. The Miata
has very high handling limits,
and excellent recovery charac-
teristics, so it’s really enjoyable
to drive on a owisty road. Its
four-wheel independent sus-

~ pension includes double wish-
bones with coil springs, gas-
filled shock absorbers, and
front and rear stabilizer bar.

However, in the snow, the

Miata’s lighter rear-end means

less traction, and is not as grip-

py asina front-whee!-drive

* car. A good set of four snow
dres and perhaps a couple of
sandbags in the trunk will

litre, tour-evlinder engine, and
it’s inereased over the vears to
1.8 litres and 140 horsepower.
Though the current incarna-
tion weighs more than the
onginal Miata, it has signifi-
cantly better of the-line per
formance and passing power
than earlier versions. The 1.8-
litre twin cam, 16-valve, four-
cylinder engine willingly revs
up to its 7 000 rp.m. redline,
and 0 to 160 km/h comes up
in under 8 seconds. A torque-
tube — a brace-like structure
connecting the engine and
transmission — reduces the
twisting and bending normally
associaied with hard aceelera-
tion, so the Miata’s drive train

Fos Un OT 9 ORY SRC EI AEA EIN

Edition model. Only the
Honda $2000's manual trans-
mission has shorter shifts than
this transmission, but the
Miata’s shift effort is slightly

engine's highway cruising
speed is a couple of hundred
n.pam. lower than the Miata
with the five-speed manual
transmission. 1 would have
preferred lower revs of around
2,500 rp.m., but E have to
admit that this engine is
incredibly smooth at high revs,
and doesn’t feel strained ar all.
I found the six-speed man-
ual transmission in the Special
Edition was even quicker and _
smoother than the six-speed
that I tested fast year in the
Miata 10th Anniversary

ATTENTION!

an ana)
rem A

Friday, July 7. 2000 — North Shore News - 29

opened
ata pricey fun

casier,

Fuel consumption is rea-
sonable for a sports car: in the
city, the Miata Special Editon
gets 9.7 litres per 100 km (29

m.p.g.}, and on the highway, iz
ofters 7.4 litres per 100 km
(38 m-p.g.). With the auto-

See Engine page 32

Complete mechanical! & electrical repairs

by factory trained technician i

Visit our wet site: www.impexauto.com

IMPEX AUTO 1166A West 14th Street Tel: 985-6237
(off Pemberton Ave., entrance at rear)

My

feels rock solid.

When highway cruising,
the engine revs comfortably at
3,100 r.p.m, at a steady 100
kia /h in sixth gear. The

solve that problem.

140 horsepower engine
The original 1989 Miata
had a 115-horsepower, 1.6-

ICBC sheds light
on used vehicies

= SUMMER is a popular time to buy a used car,
and for those in the market, ICBC offers an
information hotline and Web site to help buyers

make the right vehicle choice.

=, ICBC’s Vehicle Damage Information Service hotline
.. (VDIS) is in its fifth year and helping morc people chan ever
before by providing information on vehicle claim history.

“We're the only insurer in B.C. who offers this type of ser-
- vice, so we've seen a consistent increase in the number of
‘ people we serve cach year.” said Steve Toomey, program

supervisor.
In the first four months of this year, the service handled
over 57,000 inquiries, with a record total of 170,103 inquires
“in 1999.
- The service gives consumers information such as whether
a vehicle has been involved in an ICBC damage claim, if it
was stolen and recovered, or if the vehicle has been classified
: as “salvage,” “rebuild” or “dismantle only.”
“Our increasing numbers show this service is a valuable
“tool in helping people make the right purchase choice,” said
. Toomey. “It gives them peace of mind, so they can buy with
“confidence.”

To use the VDIS, all that is required is the year, model,
make and serial number or “VIN” of the vehicle. The search,
which only takes a few minutes, costs $16.05.

Used car buyers can also surf ICBC’s Web site for helpful

“hints before purchasing a used vehicle.

The site offers information on car dealers, private sales,
=. inspecting a vehicle, plus a checklist ro use as a reference
. when shopping.

-The Vehicle. Damage Information Service can be reached

toll.free at 1-800-464-5050 or at 661-2233 in the Lower
»:Mainland.
cc For requests by fax, the number is 443-7307, or 443-
"4683.
ICBC can be found on the Web at ewww.iebe.com>.

4

‘NORTH SHGRE PARTS
yy Auto Parts Plus
-- . “YOUR AUTO
PARTS SUPERSTOR:

- GUARANTEED =
lf you can find a lower price than ours, we'll beat it.

2086 GRAND CHEROKEE 7.
‘V8, FULLY LOADED.

running

1 owner, boards low,

local, low kms. -

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