18 - Friday, July 6, 1990 - North Shore News

A UT OM OT I

Travel protection could
be your saving grace

ASK THE |
ee EXPERT

ASK THE Expert is a weekly column in the North Shore
News’ Automotive section. Each week a reader’s question
will be answered by an expert from the British Columbia
Automobile Association (BCAA). This weck’s question is:

Ever since } bought a good used Citation | have had to
live with a rough transmission problem, especially when
shifting into low, forward or reverse; and especially when
the motor is cold there is usually @ real “thug.”

T have had it checked carefully by competent mechanics who have had
no success in removing or reducing the “thug’’ which has persisted since
f purchased the car in 1987 with 77,433 km on its odometer. [ts unit
number is 01982 with serial number 1 X6978AW222 7085.

Some mechanics claim that the noise results from a fast idle and 1
should be satisfied with that rather than to have it slow down to a
possible stall condition when driving in traffic — which has not occur:
red since | acquired it.

A friend of mine has a similar Citation that operates quite smoothly
and quietly. I pride myself on being a careful driver with an accident-
free record to date. | have had BCAA service and attention since |
moved here from Montreal in 1970.

Any help you may give me will be appreciated.

W.H. Coates
North Vancouver

One of the inherent engineering problems with or characteristics

oe Of front-wheel drive, which all car makers have to grapple with,

is ‘‘shift shock’? or in other words the “‘thug’’ you described in your
letter.

Transversely mounted engines (the drivetrain layout in your Citation)
are prone to this ‘‘shift shock.’’ It is very important that all engine and
transaxle mounts are in good condition with this type of drivetrain.

An idle speed set higher than whai’s specified by the manufacturer
could also be the cause or amplify ‘*shift shock.’* If the engine stalls or
runs rough when set at the correct idle speed then I would suspect a
carburetor or engine tuning problem as the root cause of this condition.

The third most likely cause of the problem lies within the transaxle
and some expert help would definitely be advisable if this is the case.
You did not mention in your letter if you had taken the car to a GM
dealer. I suggest you de as they are in the best position to solve a prob-
lem like this.

Bob McHugh, BCAA’s Consumer & Technical Advisory Dept.

If you have an auto-related questicn, write to: ‘‘Ask the
Expert,’’ North Shere News, 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North
Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H4.

PICTURE THIS. You've
just enjoyed some pie and
coffee at a roadside cafe in
Paradise, Montana. You
step out to your car ... and
you find the side crunched
in or, worse yet, it’s gone!

Nc problem. You borrow a
phone and call the local sheriff.
Then vou make a collect call to
ICBC’s Out of Province Claims
(you can get the nuinber through
directory assistance if your
Autoplan Motorist Kit has disap-
peared with your vehicle).

So much for your car, but what
about you? You could be stuck in
Paradise for a week while they
order in parts. Or you might have
to hop the bus to Kalispell and fly
home. That could be expensive.

Now, the new Vehicle Travel
Protection Policy from ICBC will
reimburse some of these expenses.
{t covers you and those you name
in the policy if you became
stranded due to a motor vehicle
accident or the theft of your vehi-
cle on a business or holiday trip.

The coverage applies to Canada
or the U.S., including Hawaii and
Alaska, but not Mexice or any
other country.

This new policy doesn’t pay for
damages to your vehicle or for in-
juries that you sustain — regular
Autoplan coverages are available
for that. {t is available only for
B.C. registered and licenced
Private passenger vehicles,
motorhomes, motorcycles and
commercial motor vehicles with a
gross weight not exceeding 5,000
kilograms.

While the new policy can only
be purchased by an_ individual
B.C. resident, its coverage can be
extended to travelling companions
who may not be British Colum-

Pre-war Classics will race

‘‘We meet Tuesdays, once a
month, at the Sericho Officer's
Mess,”” says Zbarsky. ‘‘And it’s
not just racers or people that own
vintage racing cars. Not all of our
members race. Many are interest-
ed in vintage cars."’

Tickets for this weekend's his-
toric racing event are available at

From page 17
of vintage automobiles, I asked
Ralph if car insurance was avail-
able.

“You bend it, you pay for it,"’
he says half-jokingly, half-sym-
pathetically.

West Vancouver Jaguar en-
thusiast Gunther Piechler will be
one of this weekend’s competitors
in his specially-prepared 1964
Jaguar E-Type coupe.

A photographer by trade,
Piechler spends most of his spare
time working on his E-Type.

“When I was a kid, I loved two
things: cars and soccer. You
know, in North America kids col-
lect baseball cards. In Europe kids
collect car cards and | remember
the first one I got was a Jaguar,
and | knew I had to have one.”’

He now owns two Jaguars, but
when [ asked him how much they
were worth, he laughed. ‘‘I don’t
really know,’? he says. ‘‘The
roadster may be worth $50,000 in
England, maybe I could get
$30,000 here..."" An enthusiast to
the core, Piechler is not even con-
sidering parting with his prized
possessions.

Piechler’s E-Type has a stock
3.8-litre double overhead cam in-
line six cylinder engine which de-
velops a factory-rated 265 horse-
power. That’s enough to propel
this 26-year-old British cat to a
top speed of 250 km/h on the
track,

Does his family worry about
him racing? After hesitating for a
few seconds, his wife Betty an-
swers for him. ‘‘Yes!’’ she says
adamantly. Gunther just smiles
and shrugs.

Vintage cars and racing cars are
not the only things that bring vin-
tage racets together.

CHRIS TAYLOR

987-8228

AND

the gate. An adult one-day pass is
$12, a two-day pass is $20, in-
cluding access to the pits. Gates
oper <° 9:30 a.m. and racing
starts at 11:30 a.m.

Westwood Motorsport Park is
just north of Coquitlam Shopping
Centre, off Pinetree Way.

INTRODUCING

== JAGUAR "Specialists,

SPECIALISTS
IN ALL BRITISH & SWEDISH AUTOMOBILES
QUALITY SERVICE TO ALL MAKES

PAUL HARRIS

FORMERLY OF MCL MOTOR CARS AND
BRITISH AND CONTINENTAL MOTORS

INVITE ALL FRIENDS AND CUSTOMERS TO
VISIT OUR NEW SERVICE CENTER
AT
1053 CHURCHILL CRESCENT
NORTH VANCOUVER
BEHIND THE AVALON HOTEL

987-6238

¥Y E€ S

‘Auto Topic

Ken Hardie

INSURANCE
CORPORATION

OF BRITISH COLUMMBE

bians.

The cost is $2 a day for one or
two people, or $3 to cover three
or more people.

Here is the coverage:

— Additional living expenses up
to $500 or $1,000 — depending on

the number of people insured —
for lodging, meals, phone calls
and transportation.

— Replacement vehicle expenses
up to $500, including rental of a
replacement vehicle, hiring a taxi
or other public transportation
costs.

— Travei expenses to return
home, up to $1,500 or $3,000 —
depending on the number of peo-
ple insured — without restriction
on the form of transportation us-
ed.

-— Expenses incurred to return
the vehicle home, up to $750.

Before you head out on your
summer holidays or your next
business trip, ask your Autoplan
broker for more information and
the new brochure on ICBC's
Vehicle Travel Protection Policy.

TO FIND | LOWER PRICES!

on ow passenger tires os
on ay light truck tires 4xtue
Auywhere! 1000. Auykow!

auroras 4 Q00

155 SR13

STK. #
90-5169

@ Powerful 4 litre inline 6 cyl.
E 5 spd trans with overdrive
B Power brakes & steering
@ Aluminum sport wheels

INSTALLED &
BALLANCED
ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY

@@ P225/75 R15 all terrain tires

§ Eleciric rear window defroster

@ Factory AM/FM stereo

@ Chrysier 7 yrs. / 115 km warranty

"16,982 .

* NET OF ALL PROGRAMS, FREIGHT & P.D.t. $790 DL #7496

GUARANTEED BC:S LOWEST PRICES |

1600. MARINE DR., N. VAN. 980-3431