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2. cars
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Is Key in Buying
By SANDRA HERNANDEZ
Work Remains
Before Electrics
Fill the Roads
CHICAGO
Once upon a time, the choice of what gasoline to put in your gas tank was relatively
easy.
Not any more.
Today, consumers are faced
nomic pressures, ecological concerns and
slteksioizans that can leave car owners confused at the pump.
Is there really a difference between one
gasoline brand and another? Does one give
you a cleaner engine - or cleaner air?
Should you pay-more to fill up with 92 or 89
octane* instead of 87?
How can a driver decide?
Consumer advocates suggest starting
with octane ratings.
"The controlling factor in choosing what
gas to buy is realty octane levels," says
Clarence Ditiow, director of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Auto Safety.
Some Tips on How To Avoid
Getting Confused at the Pump
In fact, up to 30 percent of car owners nationwide are currently shelling but an additional $3 billion a year for extra-octane gas
they don't need, he say s.
«
Octane measures a gasoline's ability to
burn evenly and not produce a knocking
sound in an engine. Car owners should
check their owner's manual to find what octane level is appropriate for their car, says
Ditiow.
He warns consumers against overspending on gasoline that promises to pump up a
car's performance with extra octane.
Using a higher octane gas than what a
car needs will not increase performance or
power, because a ear's timing and other en-
gine mechanisms are set by the auto maker
to burn a particular fuel. Tliese components
will not adjust by simply changing to a higher-octane gasoline.
"A tot of people will put premium gas in
their car thinking it will make their car run
better/' says Bob Hoflman, service manager at Pacific Ford in Long Beach, Calif.
"But the truth is, the computer in the car
doesn't know what octane you're putting in
it."
Some high-performance cars, such as the
Ford Thundefbird Super Coupe, are designed by the manufacturer to use higheroctane gas. And cars built before 1970 may
require premium gas if they previously
Imagine the day when you can step
out the patio door tod suck in two
lungs full of fresh, clean, pollution-free
air.
x
That time is coming with the announcement last week by Chrysler
Corp. that it will begin building and
selling battery-powered Dodge Caravans in December.
This is what the public has been
waiting for, a vehicle that runs without
having to pump costly and not exactly
infinite gasoline into its bowels.
Let's see how rich those Mideast
sheiks will be selling sand instead of
petroleum.
This is a vehicle environmentalists
have been begging for, a vehicle that
can take you from JPoint A to Point B ,
without emitting a particle of pollutant
into the atmosphere.
The eventual scenario involves a horizon free of brown or yellow clouds of
garbage spit out by cars andtrucks. .
»The trek to the state facility for your
vehicle emission test will become a
thing of the past.
No more reliance on foreign oil, no
more hacking and wheezing when you
walk out your door in the morning.
Oh happy day. Hallelujah. Praise
1992 OLDSMOBILE ACHIEVA: SL sedan has a smoeth design from Its split SvaterfaB' grille to Its high rear deck.
the Lord and pass the plate.
After years of attacking cars as the
culprit that dirties our air, environmentalists will have to turn their attention to other polluting scoundrels like those who sneeze.
Well, pardon the expression, but
don't hold your breath waiting for the
air to become spotless and the sheiks
to become paupers.
The good news is that Chrysler is
coming out with an electric minivan,
which means Ford will have to step up
efforts to bring out its Ecostar battery•*•*•*
ByBILLRUSS
"making it right" first.
powered van and General Motors its
APPEARANCE: The new Achieva SL se- \
Pacheco News Service
Impact battery-powered car.
dan has a very smooth design from its split
The bad news is that unless someBase Price
$14,595
The AchievaTis the newest Oldsmobile. "waterfall" grille to its high rear deck. Its
one comes up with a battery that promPrice as Tested
$18,420
With a heritage that goes back to the begin- curved sides are bisected by protective
ises a longer range before you have to
"Type
V-6, ohv pushrod,
ning of this century, Oldsmobile has often wrap-around side rub strips, and the greenstop for recharging, and that costs less
been the trendsetter for General Motors au- ' house has a look of spaciousness thanks to
than a Dodge Viper, most people won't
tomotive products, and with this newest of slim pillars. Black trim is displayed around
be able to afford an electric vehicle.
Horsepower
160 @ 6200 rpm
its compact models, it hopes to keep up the all windows and lights, as well as the B-pilChrysler said its current state-ofTorque (ft/t>s.) 186
tradition. This newest Oldsmobile name- lars. Alloy wheels and Goodrich touring
the-art technology requires an 1,800WheeJbase/Length
~ 10371
plate replaces the Cutlass Calais, and was tires add a touch of sportiness.
pound pack of nickel-iron batteries to
COMFORT: The cockpit area of the
Trans
,
3-speed automatic
designed to have a broad appeal to the combe housed under the floor of the Dodge
^^^P^^F VqV ^"•P* *
aws* sjjWipvS^^KPp'
pact car buyer. With two body styles, a 4- Achieva is well laid out and all instruments
Caravan to provide the needed power.
door sedan and a coupe, three trim levels and controls are visible and easily reachThat's 1,800 pounds and $50,000 worth
aid Capacity
and four engines to choose from, the folks at able. The front bucket seats are comfortof batteries.
Fuel
Unfeaded
Olds feel that there's an Achieva that's right able and power-adjustable, while the rear
Now we don't know about you, but if
SFj • for those interested in a broad range from bench seats fold down for added storage
someone were to come up to us and
mundane family 4-door sedan to a pretty area. The standard equipment covers many
say, "If you'd like to do your part to,
items, but option package ISC adds the conhigh stepping sports coupe.
clean the air and reduce the U.S. deTo make absolutely sure that the venience items we've come to depend upon
pendence on foreign oil, would you
-. »• * ''"•
like
air
conditioning,
fail
power
locks,
win-,
Drtve
Train
front
engineArwtdnVe
Achieva
met
all
of
its
objectives,
its
introplease place $50,000 in the hat?"
duction was delayed beyond the originally dows and mirrors, plus remote lock and
chances are we'd mumble something
scheduled showroom date. Focus group cruise control. The trunk area is fiat and
about giving at the office and run
studies had indicated that there were some roomy, but rear seating should be more spaaway.
PERFOfWANCE
cious.
items
that
should
be
improved
upon
to
enIf we had $50,000 in loose change lyROADABILITY: The SL sedan provides
hance the appeal and appearance of this
«; „.#;.
ing around, the other problem is that
EPA Economy, mites
good
all-purpose
ride
and
handling
on
city
new
model.
The
designers,
engineers
and
the thoughtof slipping 1,800 pounds of
production people quickly went to work and streets and highways. Control while driving
batteries out of the minivan when they
made tn^gs right. A comparison of the re- is improved by the optional Computer Com0 to 60 mph
9.1 sec. '
go dead in order to slip in 1,800 pounds
mand
ride
system.
This
enables
the
driver
sults
of
our
recent
test
drive
of
the
final
pro1/4 ml <ET.)
17.1 sec.
of fresh nickel-iron hardware isn't that
duction
SL
sedan
with
those
of
a
pilot
model
Drag Coefficient (Cd)
appealing.
• See ACHIEVA, Page 2D
I
drove
last
summer
displayed
the
value
of
Also, Chrysler says the 1,800-pound
nickel-iron pack provides you with 100
miles of driving range before the need
to stop and plug into a 220-volt socket '
for eight hours of fresh juice.
Now 100 miles of travel without having to "refuel" in an electric is roughly
equivalent to how far you could roll
down the highway with 5 gallons of gas
in a petrol-powered car that averages
able Town Car.
By At HAAS
20 mpg. And that's 100 miles in the batFor openers, the Town Car is a much betKrtQM-Rkfcfw Newspapers
tery van at constant low speeds.You
ter-handling automobile than it was before^
lose range if you have to perform such
Other than the fact that they are Lincoln its extensive redesign for the 1990 model
tasks as merging onto the expressway,
luxury sedans, there isn't much similarity year. The engineers were able to dial a good
climbing a hill or idling in traffic waitbetween the Continental ^and JJ* Town Car. deal of cornering composure ipto its suspening for fie light to turn so you can then
They have different bores and strokes for sion without sacrificing the great ride insistwait for all the cabs to proceed through
ed upon by the big sedan's clientele.
different folks.
the intersection before you venture forObviously, a car this size (it is 219 inches
The front-drive Continental is a techy,
ward.
groundbreaking fusion of European road long and weighs more than two tons), isn't pressive. Independent decibel-level testing
Think about it If you run out of gas
car and traditional domestic luxury sedan. going to feel nimble in fast turns. And obvi- shows it to be on* of the quietest cars ever
in your car, you open the door and
As such, it is aimed at a fairly sophisticated ously, a car with these kinds of ride-biased made.
walk to the nearest station for a can
Part of the reason the Town Car is seen
" and affluent clientele, folks who might have suspension travel and spring rates isn't gocontaining a couple of gallons of fuel to
ing to stay perfectly flat in high-speed cor- but seldom heard is its new engine, which is
purchased a luxury import in the past.
get you going again. If you run out of
The Town Car, on the other hand, is ners. But the prewfc'irown Car displays as smoothand quiet as it is powerful.
charge in your batteiy-powered.vehiAnd'infcffainly is powerful - powerful
pure, unabashed American land yacht, and martedly^gss-faudy roll than its predecescle, do you pull an extension cord from
enough to make even Two-Ton Tony the
is intended for a mature, tradition-bound sor, and a lot more composure.
the cargo hold and start hunting for a
Town
Car jump when you hit the gas. This is
Additionally/ the Town Car now has a
audience that buys domestic, puts a premifriendly soul who wouldn't mind unum on ride, room and comfort, and wants number of features that were previously particularly true if the car is equipped with
plugging the fridge so you can give ~*
the drive wheels in the back and a muscular found only on the Continental. These include the optional version of this engine, as the
your car a needed shot of power? And
four-wheel disc brakes, an anti-lock braking test vehicle was.
V4 up front.
how long would the extension cord
In standard form, the engine is equipped
The cars' demographics reflect their system and speed-sensitive, variable-assist
have to be?
very different missions. The Continental at- power steering. It even went the Continental with a single exhaust and rated at 190 horseAnd if everyone on a block tried
tracts nearly twice as many under-50 own- one better last year when it was fitted with power. In optional, it gets dual exhausts and
plugging in their battery vehicles at
ers as the Town Car. Its buyers have comW- Ford Motors* nifty new 4 6-liter V4. And a 210-horsepower rating - not s bad inthe same time, along with their various
»erafaty more education than the Town Car's, this year, ft got a new electronic four-speed crease for a mere $83 more.
home* appliances, the only beneficiary
This new overhead-cam V-S's efficiency
and higher hoa^fcpld incomes ($82,000 vs. automatic transmission.
of electric cars wouM be Uttierose.
172,000). It's also true that three times as
In addition to having gained virtual tech- can be measured in fuel economy as well as
Chrysler's announcement about
many Continental patrons previously owned notogcai parity with the Continental, the performance. It has EPA ratings of 17 dty
electric vehicles raises more questions
imports.
^
new Town Car turns out to be an exceeding- and 23 highway, which are pretty good numthan it answers. Fortunately, the 50 to
While the Continental was much more ly safe machine Standard safety equipment bers for a car with an automatic transmisHID battery-powered vans that wifl be
readable and cuUmg-edge than the Town includes the anti-lock brakes, and air bags sion and this kind of a weight problem. I got
built and sold starting in December
20 miles to the gallon in mixed driving.
Car when it was introduced four model tor the driver and the front-seat passenger.
wfll go to fleet customers, primarily
The 4 Witer V4 is a "iwfctlar" engine
/ years ago, the Town Car has been quietly
While the car's improved handlfag and
utilities, as i test to determine what
closing the gap ever Since. This became safety features certainty get your attention, because it was designed to share compoproblems exist, what solutions are feaparticularly apparent during the recent it is the quietude of thta extremely solid and nents and assembly lines with other ktods of
sible.
week I spent behind the wheel of the vener- well-insulated luxo-barge that is most im- engines. The reduction to inventory and de-
Achieva SL Sedan
Good, All-purpose Ride
v
.
,
Jim
.
'
.
JLm,
.
.
,
.
.
'. ' •
, •
'
••>£
•S
>••,
4
used premium leaded gasoline, said Jot
Coluccl, who heads General Motors Corp.'s
department for feel and research in Warren, Mich.
,
However, Colucci warns motorists who
believe that higher-octane gas will prevent
engine damage to think again. "It's an old
wives' tale. Engines now art less prone to
knocking," be says.
«
So why do consumers continue to overspend on octane?
Part of the reason may be the marketing
strategies used by oil companies, says
Gregg Fisher, assistant director of the General Accounting Office in Washington,0.0*
' There Is some slick advertising out
there," Fisher says. Slogans such as "drive
your engine dean" and "put a tiger in your
engine/' are luring consumers into spending big bucks, he says.
The GAO, in written testimony to Const See OCTANE, Page 2D
./
•Chrysler -Hunts
For Any Flaws
On New LH Line
By DAVID J. MORROW
TORONTO - A row of red sports sedans
slowly bobbles down the assembly line at
Chrysler's Bramalea assembly plant. Engineers and plant specialists in white lab
coats huddle around each raised hood, tinkering with the electronics systems.
Like doctors poking at their patients,
members of Chrysler's LH launch team
search for breaks ki their machines. In the
past three weeks, glitches were spotted in
the engine harness aixTair conditioning system, and quickly repaired/ "We're getting
all the bugs out now," said John Rustick,
captain of the electrical launch team.
"We're that far in advance." _
A misfire at Bramalea could be fatal for
Chrysler. However, a fast and flawless debut of the LH line of midsize cars could produce $1 billiob in profits for Chrysler in 1993
- about $4,100 for each car that rolls
smoothly jrffjftf line - according to John
Casesa, 'aiTaulfo analyst with Wertheim
Schroder.
*.
Some high hurdles 'stand in Chrysler's
path. It's one thing to build snappy pilot
models and quite another to master a volume launch. Although relatively new,
Bramalea has never been a big producer.
The plant's two most recent models - the
Eagle Premier and Dodge Monaco - were
notable losers and dumped in December.
"Bramalea has never had the number of
employees it needs to build LH or been anything near that capacity level,' 'said Sean
McAlinden, an automotive economist at the
University of Michigan. "To produce even
200,000 cars a year could take three to four
years to ramp up."
Yet Chrysler hopes to make 267,000 of the
sporty sedans next year, compared with a
mere 22,000 of the oldmodels that Bramalea
assembled last year. Chrysler chose Bramalea for LH because the factory is one of its
most modern and the company can save
money on health care in Canada.
The sheer volume of LH has created
some troubling snares.
When Bramalea closed to revamp in December, the plant employed only 950 workers - a 2,150-person shortfall of what's
needed to produce LH at full capacity. .
At month's end, the Bramalea crew inherits 1,250 workers jettisoned from their
Si See CHRYSLER, Page 2D
Lincoln Town Car
Closing Gap on Continental
sign expense occasioned by this commonality will save the folks in Dearborn a crankcase-full of high-denomination bills.
LINCOLN TOWN CAR (Signature series)
Basejrehicle: 4.6-liter engine, four-speed
automatic transmission, power four-wheel
disc brakes, anti-lock braking system, driver and front-passenger air bags, variableassist power steering, 15-inch alloy wheels,
P215/70R15 all-season radials, illuminated
vanity mirrors, stereo/cassette, power antenna, leather-wrapped steering wheel, tilt
steering, air conditioning, fuel filler door
and decklid remote release, decklkl power
pull-down, rear-window defroster, power
door locks, cruise control, power windows,
six-way power front seats. Test model: power moonroof, anti-theft alarm, memory for
power driver's seat, dual exhausts, cellular
phone, traction assist, upgraded alloy
wheels, JBL sound system, feather stating,
trunk-mounted CD changer, heated windshield. Base price: $34,251 Test model:
$40.398 (inc shipping) EPA dty rating. 1?
mpg. Test mileage: 20 mpg. Warranty: four
years/50,000 miles bumper to bumper, six
years/100,000 mUes against corrosion.