tires and al

ESTIMATES suggest
that the average cost of
maintaining a vehicle in
2000 will be around
$800, depending on
the age of your vehicle.

Proper maintenance of

tires and wheel alignment is
an easy way of reducing the
costs of maintaining and oper-
ating your vehicle, and mak-
ing sure you don’t have to
spend more than you need to
on yout car,

For example, tires under-
inflated by only eight pounds
can reduce gas mileage by 5%
and cut tire life by 25% or
more.

Cost-conscious motorists,

Ea ae Oa rn ate

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VV VV VV IVY YY

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oar, 5 reper :

should check tire inflation fre-
quenily.

Checking fire inflation can
easily be done with a personal
tire gauge — gauges are avail-
able in) most automotive
stores for isss than $10.

Owners also should check
tires for abnormal wear when
vehicles are on lifts for service.

More fuel is consumed as a
result of incorrect alignment,
which can result in at least a
2%-per-tankful energy loss
and reduced tire life.

Incorrect alignment accel-
erates tire wear to an even
greater degree.

There are two casy ways to
detect incorrect alignment or
tire balance, indicating the
need for cost saving wheel and
front-end service:

@ looseness or excessive plav
in steering, or difficulty in
controlling the vehicle over
bumps and around curves are
indications of problems which

LS, aN MESON:

Inclutks front brake pads or rear brake shoes

on most Suzuki

mi inspect ¢ ig System
:m check transmission fluid

ignment

need correcting;
#% another is vibration or
the slightest shimmy.

Abnormal wear patterns
on the tires themselw
should be immediately
checked bv an expert.

When vehicles are on
the hoist, they should be
checked for front end and
steering looseness, and
shock absorber/strut leak-
age.

A good automotive ser-
vice technician, with the
help of today’s sophisticat-
ed diagnostic equipment
can determine the correc-
tive measures needed for
steering and suspension
systems; or advise that ball
joints, steering, linkage and
shock absorbers/struts still
are dependabie, but wear-
ing to the point where
replacement would be
advisable in the near
future.

If parts replacement is
recommended, don’t post-
pone it or take shortcuts in
quality of parts, extent of
service and cut-rate esti-
mates.

Insufficient service to
save a few dollars now can
mean much higher future
repair bills down the road.

Care attention to
stecring, suspension and
tires are among the major
considerations to keep
vehicle maintenance cost
low.

@ check master Cylinder fluid |
@inspect shocks

m check power steering fluid
# inspect air filter .

g inspect exhaust system

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

BRANDON Crossley (10) enjoys the huge three-lane race track and the large
selection of mods! cars he and his fether have put together.

Racing te seai

Erin Stringer
Contributing Writer

NOT many people have 90-ft. racing
tracks in the attic.

But if you had 130 electric racing cars, like
Don and his son Brandon Crossley do, yo
might. Tucked away in a corner of the attic in
their North Vancouver home is a three-lane,
homemade tra

Brandon, 10, says racing the cars, which are
controlled with a gun-like handpiece, is his
favourite hobby.

“It’s fun,” he said. “I wish I had more ime
to do it. I have school, and Tae Kwon Do every
day except Sunday.”

The track is built out of the wall, made of

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wood that is p: id to look like a road. Copper
tape lines the board to conduct electricity.

The cars range from older, simple models to
tlashy-leoking sportscars with painted decals.
One car even has a minute passenger clutching
a paper map. :

Not many stores in Canada carry the pint-
sized autos, so the majority of the cars come
from overseas Don say: the hobby is much
more popular there, which is why most of the
cars hail from China, Spain, and England.

He used to have racing cars as a small boy,
and later decided to start collecting with his
son.

“I like cars, and I like toys, so it’s a good
combination,” he said. “It’s what J did when I
was little, and it gives Brandon and I something
to do together.”

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