on the move 10-10-11

7
Monday, October 10, 2011 For Advertising Information Contact Your Local Cars.Com On-The-Move Sales Team at 599-2329 US auto sales up in September on big trucks DETROIT — U.S. buy- ers shrugged off econom- ic worries and snapped up SUVs and pickups last month, surprising the auto indus- try and raising hopes that a bumpy year will end on a high note. Big trucks typically sell when the housing market and construction industry are strong, gas prices are low and consumer confidence is high. None of those was true in September. The econ- omy remains weak, confi- dence is shaky and a gallon of gas prices cost nearly $1 per more than in Septem- ber 2010. But other factors boosted truck sales. Small business- es must eventually replace aging fleets of work trucks, and auto companies offered some good deals to clear out 2011 model trucks. They also stepped up their marketing. And consumers are learning to live with economic uncer- tainty. “We see consumers being more comfortable with buy- ing cars in a continuously volatile environment,” said Jesse Toprak, vice presi- dent of industry trends and insights for the car pricing site TrueCar.com. “Tradi- tionally, they would have postponed making the pur- chase decision.” U.S. vehicle sales rose 10 percent from last September, according to Autodata Corp. September saw the fastest sales pace since April, and automakers expect that pace to stay steady for the rest of this year. Nearly 54 percent of vehi- cles sold were trucks and SUVs, the highest percent- age this year. That’s good news for automakers, which make much bigger profits on trucks and SUVs. Truck sales at General Motors Co., Chrysler Group LLC and Ford Motor Co. grew in the double digits, outpacing cars. Even Honda Motor Co., which normally gets the bulk of its sales from cars, sold 3,000 more trucks than cars. A shortage of cars is anoth- er reason truck and SUV sales were strong. Analysts had expected more Japanese cars to fill showrooms after months of shortages related to March’s earthquake and tsunami. But Honda and Toyota con- By Dee-Ann Durbin and Tom Krisher The Associated Press Matt York/associated Press files In this March 29 file photo, a row of 2011 Ford F-150 trucks is shown at a dealership in Gilbert, Ariz. Ford Motor Co. and other vehicle manufacturers saw a 10 percent increase in sales over last September thanks to strong sales of SUVs and pickups. See TRUCKS, Page 2 TD-0000187924 V6, 3.5 Liter, PW, PL, Cruise, Auto. ‘11 NISSAN Maxima $26,977 850-576-6171 Kraft Nissan 3.5L V6, Tilt And Telescopic Steering Wheel, PW, Cruise, Spd-Proportional Power Steering. ‘08 INFINITI G35 $25,977 850-576-6171 Kraft Nissan Tilt And Telescopic Steering Wheel, PW, Cruise. ‘10 VOLKSWAGEN Jetta $23,977 850-576-6171 Kraft Nissan 4.0L V6, Tilt-Adjustable Steering Wheel, PW, Cruise, Spd- Proportional Power Steering. ‘09 NISSAN Pathfinder $23,477 850-576-6171 Kraft Nissan 2.5L I4, Tilt And Telescopic Steering Wheel, PW, Cruise, Spd-Proportional Power Steering. ‘11 TOYOTA Camry $17,997 850-576-6171 Kraft Nissan 3.5L V6, A/C, ABS, Tilt And Telescopic Steering Wheel, CD, PW, PL, Leather Seats, Cruise, PS. ‘10 CHRYSLER 300 $17,977 850-576-6171 Kraft Nissan 4 Cylinder, A/C, ABS, Tilt And Telescopic Steering Wheel, CD, PW, PL, Cruise. ‘09 HONDA Accord Sdn $16,977 850-576-6171 Kraft Nissan A/C. ‘07 NISSAN Altima $14,997 850-576-6171 Kraft Nissan Tilt- Adjustable Steering Wheel, PW, Cruise. ‘11 CHEVROLET HHR $14,997 850-576-6171 Kraft Nissan 4-Cyl, 1.8 Liter, Tilt, PW, PL, Cruise, Auto. ‘10 NISSAN Versa $13,997 850-576-6171 Kraft Nissan 4.6L V8, A/C, ABS, Tilt-Adjustable Steering Wheel, Cass., PW, PL, Cruise. ‘99 FORD Expedition $7,977 850-576-6171 Kraft Nissan Tilt- Adjustable Steering Wheel, PW, Spd- Proportional Power Steering. ‘03 MITSUBISHI Eclipse $5,997 850-576-6171 Kraft Nissan 792 24 4

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Page 1: On the Move 10-10-11

Monday, October 10, 2011 For Advertising Information Contact Your Local Cars.Com On-The-Move Sales Team at 599-2329

US auto sales up in September on big trucksDETROIT — U.S. buy-

ers shrugged off econom-ic worries and snapped up SUVs and pickups last month, surprising the auto indus-try and raising hopes that a bumpy year will end on a high note.

Big trucks typically sell when the housing market and construction industry are strong, gas prices are low and consumer confidence is high. None of those was true in September. The econ-omy remains weak, confi-

dence is shaky and a gallon of gas prices cost nearly $1 per more than in Septem-ber 2010.

But other factors boosted truck sales. Small business-es must eventually replace aging fleets of work trucks, and auto companies offered some good deals to clear out 2011 model trucks. They also stepped up their marketing. And consumers are learning to live with economic uncer-tainty.

“We see consumers being more comfortable with buy-ing cars in a continuously volatile environment,” said Jesse Toprak, vice presi-

dent of industry trends and insights for the car pricing site TrueCar.com. “Tradi-tionally, they would have postponed making the pur-chase decision.”

U.S. vehicle sales rose 10 percent from last September, according to Autodata Corp. September saw the fastest sales pace since April, and automakers expect that pace to stay steady for the rest of this year.

Nearly 54 percent of vehi-cles sold were trucks and SUVs, the highest percent-age this year. That’s good news for automakers, which make much bigger profits

on trucks and SUVs. Truck sales at General Motors Co., Chrysler Group LLC and Ford Motor Co. grew in the double digits, outpacing cars. Even Honda Motor Co., which normally gets the bulk of its sales from cars, sold 3,000 more trucks than cars.

A shortage of cars is anoth-er reason truck and SUV sales were strong. Analysts had expected more Japanese cars to fill showrooms after months of shortages related to March’s earthquake and tsunami.

But Honda and Toyota con-

By Dee-Ann Durbin and Tom KrisherThe Associated Press

Matt York/associated Press files

In this March 29 file photo, a row of 2011 Ford F-150 trucks is shown at a dealership in Gilbert, Ariz. Ford Motor Co. and other vehicle manufacturers saw a 10 percent increase in sales over last September thanks to strong sales of SUVs and pickups. See TRUCKS, Page 2

TD-0000187924

V6, 3.5 Liter, PW, PL,Cruise, Auto.

‘11 NISSAN

Maxima

$26,977850-576-6171

Kraft Nissan

3.5L V6, Tilt AndTelescopic SteeringWheel, PW, Cruise,Spd-Proportional PowerSteering.

‘08 INFINITI G35

$25,977850-576-6171

Kraft Nissan

Tilt And TelescopicSteering Wheel, PW,Cruise.

‘10 VOLKSWAGEN

Jetta

$23,977850-576-6171

Kraft Nissan

4.0L V6, Tilt-AdjustableSteering Wheel, PW,Cruise, Spd- ProportionalPower Steering.

‘09 NISSAN

Pathfinder

$23,477850-576-6171

Kraft Nissan

2.5L I4, Tilt AndTelescopic SteeringWheel, PW, Cruise,Spd-Proportional PowerSteering.

‘11 TOYOTA

Camry

$17,997850-576-6171

Kraft Nissan

3.5L V6, A/C, ABS, TiltAnd Telescopic SteeringWheel, CD, PW, PL,Leather Seats, Cruise,PS.

‘10 CHRYSLER 300

$17,977850-576-6171

Kraft Nissan

4 Cylinder, A/C, ABS, TiltAnd Telescopic SteeringWheel, CD, PW, PL,Cruise.

‘09 HONDA Accord

Sdn

$16,977850-576-6171

Kraft Nissan

A/C.

‘07 NISSAN Altima

$14,997850-576-6171

Kraft Nissan

Tilt- Adjustable SteeringWheel, PW, Cruise.

‘11 CHEVROLET

HHR

$14,997850-576-6171

Kraft Nissan

4-Cyl, 1.8 Liter, Tilt, PW,PL, Cruise, Auto.

‘10 NISSAN Versa

$13,997850-576-6171

Kraft Nissan

4.6L V8, A/C, ABS,Tilt-Adjustable SteeringWheel, Cass., PW, PL,Cruise.

‘99 FORD

Expedition

$7,977850-576-6171

Kraft Nissan

Tilt- Adjustable SteeringWheel, PW, Spd-Proportional PowerSteering.

‘03 MITSUBISHI

Eclipse

$5,997850-576-6171

Kraft Nissan

01879201879244

Page 2: On the Move 10-10-11

Page 2 / Monday, October 10, 2011 Tallahassee Democrat / OnTheMOve

tinued to struggle with prod-uct shortages. Toyota’s Sep-tember sales were down 17.5 percent, while Honda’s fell 8 percent.

Truckloads of new Honda vehicles arrived at dealer-ships last week, and Toyo-ta Motor Corp.’s new Cam-ry sedan recently went on sale, but they were too late in both cases to give September totals a significant boost.

Bob Carter, Toyota’s U.S. sales chief, said October

should be a turning point. With all of its plants now run-ning, the automaker expects its Toyota division to post its first year-over-year sales increase since April and it expects to post sales increas-es through the fourth quar-ter and beyond.

Many buyers were replac-ing trucks in September because they had to. The average truck on the road is now around 10.1 years old, according to R.L. Polk and Associates.

“A commercial owner can-not afford to have their vehi-cle out of service,” said Don Johnson, GM’s vice president

of U.S. sales.Promotions also helped.

GM was offering zero-per-cent financing for 60 months and $1,000 cash on the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup. But Edmunds.com said incentive spending was only up 3 percent from August, to an average of $2,453 per vehicle, and was actually down from last Sep-tember.

Paul Ballew, a former GM chief economist who now works for Nationwide Insur-ance, said deals will proba-bly get more generous in the last part of this year. Japa-nese automakers will have

to offer rebates and other incentives to get back mar-ket share lost to GM, Hyun-dai Motor Co. and other com-petitors. Detroit automakers will probably offer discounts on trucks because of high inventories, he said.

“It’ll probably be a pretty good time to buy a vehicle,” he said. “Consumers have proved they will respond selectively when prodded.”

Automakers don’t expect the pace of sales to slow for the rest of the year. GM stuck with its forecast for full-year sales of around 12.8 million cars and trucks, which would be up 10 per-

cent from last year.But some analysts say

September’s boost will be short-lived because econom-ic worries could still damp-en sales. Edmunds.com last week reduced its full-year sales forecast from 12.9 mil-lion vehicles to 12.6 million vehicles.

GM’s September sales rose 20 percent, led by a 34 per-cent rise in sales of full-size pickups and SUVs. Chrysler’s sales rose 27 percent, while Ford’s were up 9 percent.

Other automakers report-ing sales Monday included:

n Nissan Motor Co., with sales up almost 29 percent.

The company’s cars led the way with sales of the Alti-ma midsize sedan, Sentra compact, Versa subcompact and Maxima large sedan up a combined 32 percent for the month.

n Hyundai Motor Co., which said sales rose 12 percent. Sales of the Elan-tra small car rose 43 percent, while sales of the Santa Fe crossover rose 67 percent.

n Volkswagen AG, with sales up 37 percent on the strength of the new Jetta and Passat sedans.

— AP Auto Writer Bree Fowler contributed from

New York.

TrucksFrom Page 1

2012 Toyota Camry offers subdued exhilarationSay you wake up tomorrow

and decide you want to learn to play tennis. Maybe you like Serena Williams’ method of anger management, or per-haps it’s Novak Djokovic’s backhand you’re after.

It’s likely you’d head to your local athletically inclined big-box store and pick out the Toy-ota Camry of tennis rackets: something from a well-known brand that is reliably mid-dling; it is free of drama, superfluity or excess cost; one that will simply get the job done.

This 2012 Camry is no dif-ferent. Starting at $22,755 when it rolls into dealerships next month, it is an apparatus, a means to an end.

Toyota Motor Corp.’s mid-size sedan has served this purpose conscientiously for years, and Americans have rewarded it with correspond-ing success at the dealership. Since 1997, more Camrys have been sold each year than any other car in the United States, with the exception of 2001.

The most notable chang-es for 2012 are the Camry’s looks. The car wears all-new sheet metal while maintain-ing the identical length, width and wheelbase of the previous model. The new look is evo-lutionary, with added creases

and angles replacing softer lines throughout the car. It’s a good look and will enable the new Camry to handsomely blend in at mall parking lots nationwide.

The new aesthetics contin-ue inside the car as well. The design of the dashboard and instrument panel is cleaner and simpler, and a layered crease accented by contrast stitching breaks up the dash in front of the passenger. Most surfaces are covered in pleas-ing, soft-touch materials.

If the buttons to control the radio and optional navigation system seem large enough for your glaucoma-afflicted great aunt to see from the back seat, it’s because Toyo-ta caught a lot of flak for how small the same buttons were on the previous Camry. At least they’re clearly labeled and easy to use.

Overall, the space wizards at Toyota managed to wring out an interior that is margin-ally bigger than before, despite the car’s footprint remaining the same. Rear legroom and interior space are among the most in the class, and a quin-tet of 6-foot-plus people can ride comfortably.

Although most spatial con-cerns are nicely addressed, the quality of the Camry’s features leaves something to be desired, especially when cast in the light of what oth-

ers are offering. The navigation screen

on the preproduction XLE model I tested was smaller than it was in the previous Camry and one of the small-est in the segment. This cre-ates a cramped screen with less usable information, a flaw exacerbated by the cheap-looking user-interface.

And I was a little disap-pointed at the quality of the interior. Everything looked good and precisely assem-bled, but if you elbowed a door panel or prodded the plastic pieces in the lower part of the dashboard, they seemed flimsy and cut-rate.

Finally, although the trunk grows slightly, its overall

capacity still lags behind most competitors. Also unfortu-nate is the surprisingly small pass-through space when you fold down the Camry’s rear seats.

Driving the new Camry isn’t as overwhelmingly bor-ing as you’d expect. The base engine pulls 178 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque out of a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with a hearty degree of pep and enthusiasm.

This engine is paired with a six-speed automatic transmis-sion with manual shifting and sport mode. The Environmen-tal Protection Agency rates the combination at 25 miles per gallon in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. Over 240

miles of testing, I averaged 25 mpg. No zero-to-60 times were available from Toyota, but Car and Driver magazine estimated the four-cylinder would do it in 8.8 seconds.

My biggest complaint about the handling lies with the Camry’s steering. I’m not expecting Porsche precision here, but to pilot the Camry is like driving while wearing a pair of Novocain mittens. More feedback, please.

The four-cylinder Camry comes in four variants: the base L, the LE, the sporty SE and the XLE. The $29,380 XLE I tested included the navigation system, a JBL sound system with 10 speak-ers and iPod connectivity, backup camera, leather seats, heated front seats and alloy wheels.

Buyers looking for more power can consider the 248-horsepower V-6, which starts at $27,400, while green-minded Camry buyers should consider the new hybrid Cam-ry.

This hybrid sees the big-gest powertrain change from the previous version of any of the new Camrys, as it now has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a 105-kilo-watt electric motor for a total power output of 200 horse-power.

The hybrid’s strong suit is its power and complete lack of

anemia that can plague other hybrids. The system also tran-sitions seamlessly from elec-tric power to gas power or a combination of both, without the trademark shudder or lag. Only when I tapped the hyper-active brakes was I reminded that this was a hybrid.

Also new for the hybrid is its lower price point; the LE version that I drove starts at around $26,660. The car is rated by the EPA as currently the most efficient in this seg-ment, at 43 mpg in the city and 39 on the highway. My 75-mile weekend with it saw an average of 34 mpg. The slightly heavier hybrid XLE gets 40 mpg in the city and 38 on the highway.

All Camrys come with safe-ty features including 10 air bags, traction control, antilock brakes and a tire-pressure monitoring system. And, as with previous Camrys, this one is American-made, with plants in Kentucky and Indi-ana doing the labor.

Camry faithful will undoubtedly salute the improved efficiency and aes-thetics that add to the car’s ethos, and probably will reward it with continued suc-cess at the dealership. The trouble is, Toyota’s dedication to the conventional may mean a methodical yet more daring competitor may one day steal that sales crown.

By David UndercofflerLos Angeles Times

ToyoTa/MCT

The design of the dashboard and instrument panel is clean-er and simpler, and a layered crease accented by contrast stitching breaks up the dash in front of the passenger.

Page 3: On the Move 10-10-11

OnTheMOve / Tallahassee Democrat Monday, October 10, 2011 / Page 3

TD-0000187923 $399 Dealer Fee, Tax, Tag, Title

3.0L I6, Tilt AndTelescopic SteeringWheel, PW, Cruise.22,384 Miles. Stock#2194A

‘09 BMW 3 Series

$26,9951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Tilt Wheel, PW, Cruise,Spd-Proportional PowerSteering. 33,404 Miles.

‘08 MAZDA CX-9

$25,9951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

5.3L V8, 4WD, Tilt Wheel,PDL, Leather Upholstery,Cruise, PS. 72,084 Miles.Stock #2433A.

‘07 GMC SIERRA1500 SLT

$24,4951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Tilt And TelescopicSteering Wheel, PW,PDL, Cruise. 22,931Miles. Stock #2527A.

‘09 HONDA CR-V

$22,5951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

2.5L I4, Tilt Wheel, PW,Cruise, Spd-ProportionalPower Steering. 11,935Miles. Stock #P850.

‘10 MAZDA CX-7

$20,0001-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Tilt-Adjustable SteeringWheel, PW, PDL, Spd-Proportional PowerSteering. 30,444 Miles.Stock #P851.

‘06 MAZDA MX-5Touring

$17,0001-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Tilt And TelescopicSteering Wheel, PW,Cruise, Spd-ProportionalPower Steering. 32,181Miles. Stock #P844.

‘08 MAZDA 6 ITouring

$16,9951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Tilt And TelescopicSteering Wheel, Spd-Proportional PowerSteering. 36,797 Miles.Stock #P824.

‘08 MAZDA 3

$16,0001-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

A/C, PW, PDL, LeatherUpholstery, Cruise.74,549 Miles. Stock#P836.

‘05 HONDA S2000

$16,0001-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Tilt And TelescopicSteering Wheel, Stick,PW. 57,475 Miles. Stock#2214B.

‘07 HONDA CIVICEX

$15,9951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Tilt And TelescopicSteering Wheel, Spd-Proportional PowerSteering. 47,164 Miles.Stock #2508A.

‘08 MAZDA 3 ITouring

$15,9951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Tilt And TelescopicSteering Wheel, PW,PDL, Cruise. 32,797Miles. Stock #P838.

‘08 MAZDA 5

$15,0001-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Tilt And TelescopicSteering Wheel, PW,Cruise. 23,691 Miles.Stock #2517A.

‘09 SATURN AURAXE

$14,9951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Tilt Wheel, CD Player,PW, PDL, Cruise, Spd-Proportional PowerSteering. 93,810 Miles.Stock #2605A.

‘04 TOYOTAHighlander

$14,0001-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

ABS, Tilt, CD, Cruise, 4-Speed Automatic. 37,358Miles. Stock #2485A.

‘04 NISSANXTERRA SE

$13,4951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Tilt-Adjustable SteeringWheel, PS. 40,573 Miles.Stock #2556A.

‘07 CHEVROLETSilverado 1500

$13,0001-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Laredo, AM/FM Radio,PW, 5-Speed Automatic.83,525 Miles. Stock#2599A.

‘06 JEEP GRANDCHEROKEE

$12,9951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

ABS, CD, PW, PL, Cruise.73,820 Miles. Stock#P860.

‘07 MAZDA 3

$12,0001-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

V6, Tilt, CD, PW,PL, Cruise, 4-SpeedAutomatic. 85,749 Miles.Stock #2479B.

‘06 BUICKRendezvous

$10,9951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Tilt And TelescopicSteering Wheel, PW,Leather Upholstery,Cruise, PS. 66,647 Miles.Stock #2533A.

‘03 VOLKSWAGENPassat GLX

$10,9951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

CD, Cass., Cruise,4-Speed Automatic.114,141 Miles. Stock#2471A.

‘02 HONDA CR-V4WD EX

$9,4951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

PS. 180,770 Miles. Stock#2529A.

‘04 NISSANFrontier

$6,9951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

PW, Cruise, PS. 154,275Miles. Stock #P847A.

‘00 MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class

$6,0001-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Tilt-Adjustable SteeringWheel, PW, PDL, Cruise,Spd-Proportional PowerSteering. 145,736 Miles.Stock #P837A.

‘01 HONDA Civic

$5,9951-888-432-2914

Gem Mazda

Page 4: On the Move 10-10-11

Page 4 / Monday, October 10, 2011 Tallahassee Democrat / OnTheMOve

2373 W. Tennessee St • Tallahassee, FLproctorhonda.com

on Many NEW

3523 W. Tennessee St Tallahassee, FL

proctoracura.com

Honda Models

APR as low as 0.9% for up to 36 months on 2011 Honda Accord, Crosstour, CR-V, Fit, Odyssey, Pilot, and 2012 Accord, Crosstour, and Pilot models. Buyer must have approved credit from American Honda Finance. Not all will qualify. Must take retail delivery by 10/31/11.

APR as low as 0.9% up to 36 months on 2011 Acura MDX, RDX, TSX, ZDX and 2012 RDX and TL models. Buyer must have approved credit from Acura Financial Services. Not all will qualify. Must take retail delivery by 10/31/11.

P R O C T O R A C U R A

P R O C T O R S U B A R U

oodels. Buyer must have approved credit from American Honda Finance. Not all will qualify. Must take retail delivery by 10/31/11.

on Many NEW SUBARU MODELS

1707 Capital Cir NE Tallahassee, FL

proctorsubaru.com

APRAs Low

As

APR as low as 0.9% on new MY 2011 Subaru Legacy, Forester, Impreza, and Tribeca models. Buyer must have approved credit from Subaru Finance. Not all buyers will qualify. Must take retail delivery by 10/31/11.

on Many NEW ACURA MODELS

APRAs Low

AsAPRAs Low

As

A/C, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, Cruise, PS.

‘07 TOYOTA Camry

$15,555866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru

A/C, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, PS.

‘10 KIA Forte

$14,986866-527-5191

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A/C, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, Cruise, PS.

‘08 SUBARU Impreza

$15,990866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru

4 Cylinder, Split Folding Rear Seat, ABS, Tilt Wheel, PW, PDL, PS, 2.0L.

‘10 HYUNDAI Elantra

$15,790866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru

A/C, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, Cruise.

‘08 CHEVROLET Impala

$16,858866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru

4 Cylinder, A/C, Alloy Wheels, Split Folding Rear Seat, ABS, Tilt Wheel.

‘08 SUBARU Legacy (Natl)

$16,770866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru

A/C, Alloy Wheels, Tilt Wheel, Pwr Moonroof, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW.

‘05 ACURA TL

$16,4221-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura

Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PS.

‘07 PONTIAC Solstice

$16,9901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura

4.0L V6, A/C, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, Cruise.

‘07 TOYOTA 4Runner

$25,9911-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura

A/C, Alloy Wheels, Tilt Wheel, Pwr Moonroof, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW.

‘06 ACURA TL

$19,9901-866-938-4963

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A/C, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, Cruise.

‘06 TOYOTA Highlander

$16,5541-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura

A/C, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, Cruise, PS.

‘04 TOYOTA Camry Solara

$12,9901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura

Alloy Wheels, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, PDL, PS.

‘07 HYUNDAI Tucson

$13,4931-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

1.8L I4, A/C, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, Cruise, PS.

‘06 HONDA Civic

$12,8941-866-938-4982

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5.3L V8, A/C, Alloy Wheels, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio.

‘04 CHEVROLET Tahoe

$11,9891-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

A/C, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PS.

‘09 KIA Rio

$11,4811-866-938-4982

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5.4L V8, A/C, Alloy Wheels, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW.

‘04 FORD F-150

$16,8271-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

A/C, Alloy Wheels, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, Pwr Moonroof, CD Player, AM/FM Radio.

‘08 MAZDA Mazda6

$15,4401-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

1.8L I4, A/C, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, Cruise, PS.

‘07 HONDA Civic

$14,9811-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

2.5L I6, A/C, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, Cruise, PS.

‘04 BMW 325

$14,9251-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

3.5L V6, A/C, Alloy Wheels, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, Cruise, PS.

‘10 CHEVROLET Impala

$16,9801-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

2.5L I4, A/C, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, Cruise, PS.

‘08 NISSAN Altima

$16,9721-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

A/C, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, Cruise, PS.

‘10 FORD Fusion

$16,8981-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

2.5L I4, A/C, Alloy Wheels, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW.

‘10 MAZDA Mazda3

$16,8781-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

OnTheMOve / Tallahassee Democrat Monday, October 10, 2011 / Page 5

Page 5: On the Move 10-10-11

Page 6 / Monday, October 10, 2011 Tallahassee Democrat / OnTheMOve

VW Beetle battery dies, comes back to life: Time for a new one?

Question: A few week-ends ago the battery in my 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle died — the car wasn’t turning over and the battery light came on. I took the car to a major chain store to have the battery checked and was told it was fine, it just needed to be recharged. I

went to a large auto parts store and they checked the battery and said it needed to be replaced. The auto parts store recharged the battery (since they did not have it in stock) and the car has been running fine ever since.

The cost to replace the battery at VW is almost $200, so my question is: How long does this

recharge last, or am I bet-ter off replacing the bat-tery?

Answer: You didn’t mention how old the bat-tery is. If it is four or five years old, it’s probably time. Otherwise, figure out why the battery went dead in the first place. Could you have left a

light on, even inside the car, overnight? Had there been a failure in the car’s charging system? (You probably would have seen a warning light while you were driving.)

If it has been holding a charge for several weeks, though, it certainly sug-gests the charging system is working now. Which brings us back to the orig-inal premise: If the bat-

tery is getting old, consid-er replacing it. If it isn’t, I’d keep driving, but toss a set of jumper cables in back just in case.

Q: In a recent col-umn you heard from a lady who was concerned about brake dust on the wheels of the used BMW she had just bought. I had that problem and ceramic brakes pads have cut the dust by at least half.

A: You and multiple other readers pointed that out, and I agree — assum-ing she needs new brakes. When she does, ceram-ic pads are great, but I couldn’t suggest replacing good pads just to cut down on the dust.

— Steven Cole Smith is the automotive editor at the

Orlando Sentinel. Send questions to

scsmithorlandosentinel.com.

By Steven Cole SmithThe Orlando Sentinel Under the Hood

Regal Turbo shatters Buick preconceptions Are you brave enough to

try the 2011 Buick Regal Turbo?

What most people don’t understand is that after decades of producing floaty-boat, bench-seat, chrome-encrusted chariots, Buick has changed.

This new Regal is built in Russelsheim, Germany, by Opel. There, modern Buick styling cues are hung on the Opel Insignia, which European auto journalists named the 2010 European Car of the Year.

Under the hood, you’ll find a turbocharged 2.0-liter four that produces 220 horsepower, mated to a six-speed manual transmis-sion or automatic transmis-sion.

Coming in the fall: the Regal GS with a 270-hp four- and all-wheel drive. Non-turbo Regals get a 182-horsepower 2.4-liter four-banger.

The 2.0-liter turbo is the engine to choose in the Regal, offering strong acceleration under all con-ditions. Turbo lag — a delay in engine response before the turbo kicks in — is min-imal. Without the turbo, the Regal’s acceleration is merely adequate and not what you might expect in this class.

Still, little will prepare

the Buick-averse for how well this midsize sedan han-dles. It isn’t watered down for American tastes. There’s a decidedly firm ride that retains a bit of suppleness. The Regal’s agility allows you to tackle corners con-fidently. There’s excellent road feel and very strong braking.

This Regal had a “Interac-tive Drive Control System.” Its three modes effectively change the response and feel

of the steering, suspension, throttle, transmission and stability control. Nice.

The cabin itself is even more impressive, with a large center console that uses a rotary knob to con-trol many functions. The gauges use an ice-blue light-ing that nicely accompanies the all-black interior. Con-trols are fairly intuitive, especially if you’re used to European cars.

Other niceties include various plugs, including a USB port and an outlet that allows you to hook up your iPod and control it via the audio system.

Fit and finish is very good. GM used lots of soft touch materials and exposed stitching to give this ride an upscale feel and appear-ance.

Despite a short seat cush-ion, the Regal front seats

provided good support, although they are very firm. Rear seats are best meant for two. Head and leg room seem tight. The cabin was very quiet when the engine wasn’t in full battle cry.

Bottom line: Driving a Buick Regal no longer means your chest was swal-lowed by your Sansabelts.

The question remains: Are you brave enough to try one?

By Larry Printz The Virginian-Pilot

GM/MCT

Under the hood of the 2011 Buick Regal Turbo, you’ll find a turbocharged 2.0-liter four that produces 220 hp, mated to a six-speed manual transmission or automatic transmission.

detaiLS2011 BUiCK ReGaL tURBOengine: Turbocharged DOHC 2.0-liter four-cyl-inderWheelbase: 107.8 inches Length: 190.2 inches Weight: 3,600 pounds Cargo space: 14.25 cubic feet ePa rating (city/high-way): 18/28 mpgFuel consumption: 24.5 mpg Fuel type: Premium recommended but not required Base price: $28,745 as tested: $35,185 What we say: The best Buick Opel builds.Pro: Unexpectedly Euro-pean Con: Tight rear seat.

— The Virginian-Pilot

GM reverses course on how it will handle OnStar data

LOS ANGELES — General Motors Co. is changing course on how it will handle custom-ers of its OnStar vehicle com-munication system once they opt out of the service.

The automaker said it will change its proposed “Terms and Conditions” policy and will not keep a data connection to customers’ vehicles after the OnStar service is canceled.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said that OnStar’s pol-icy represented an invasion of privacy and he threatened a federal investigation.

“OnStar’s reversal of pol-icy is good news. Consum-er tracking, whether across town or across the Internet, should always be an opt-in. OnStar is setting an example that others should follow,” said Jeremy Anwyl, chief executive of auto information company Edmunds.com.

GM recently sent its OnStar customers emails that said as of Dec. 1, their service would change so that data from a customer vehicle would continue to be transmitted even after the service was canceled. Cus-tomers could sever the con-nection only if they actively asked for the link to be ter-minated.

By Jerry HirschLos Angeles Times

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OnTheMOve / Tallahassee Democrat Monday, October 10, 2011 / Page 7

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Page 8 / Monday, October 10, 2011 Tallahassee Democrat / OnTheMOve

A/C, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer, AM/FM Radio,PW, Leather Upholstery.

‘11 CHEVROLETCorvette

$59,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

A/C, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise.

‘10 CHEVROLETCamaro

$33,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

5.3L V8, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise, PS.

‘09 CHEVROLETTahoe

$30,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

8 Cylinder, A/C, SplitFolding Rear Seat, 2WD4DR, ABS, Rear AirConditioning.

‘07 CADILLACEscalade

$30,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

V6 Cylinder, A/C, ABS,Tilt Wheel, PowerMoonroof, Sun Roof, CDPlayer.

‘09 MERCEDES-BENZ C-Class

$29,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

A/C, Split Folding RearSeat, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise, PS.

‘10 CHEVROLETTraverse

$28,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

3.5L V6, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, ABS, Rear AirConditioning, Tilt Wheel,Power Moonroof.

‘10 NISSANMaxima

$28,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

A/C, Split Folding RearSeat, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise.

‘11 VOLKSWAGENCC

$26,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

3.5L V6, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,Pwr Moonroof, CD Player.

‘10 HONDA AccordCrosstour

$26,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

5.3L V8, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, ABS, TiltWheel, CD Player, AM/FMRadio, PW, PL.

‘07 CHEVROLETAvalanche

$24,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

3.5L V6, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise.

‘10 DODGEChallenger

$23,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

3.5L V6, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, 4DR SDNSport FWD, ABS, TiltWheel, CD Player, AM/FMRadio.

‘10 FORD Fusion

$23,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

3.0L I6, A/C, 4DRSDN, ABS, Rear AirConditioning.

‘08 BMW 3 Series

$23,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

A/C, CD Player, AM/FMRadio, PW, LeatherUpholstery, Cruise.

‘06 HONDA S2000

$22,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

3.5L V6, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW.

‘08 LINCOLN MKZ

$20,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

4.6L V8, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW.

‘06 CADILLAC SRX

$19,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

5.7L V8, A/C, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PS.

‘07 DODGE Ram1500

$18,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

2.5L I4, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise.

‘10 TOYOTACamry

$18,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

3.5L V6, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW.

‘08 FORD Taurus

$17,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

3.5L V6, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise.

‘07 NISSANMaxima

$17,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

A/C, Split Folding RearSeat, Tilt Wheel, CDPlayer, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise.

‘10 KIA Forte

$16,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

2.5L I4, Tilt Wheel, PW,Cruise, Spd- ProportionalPower Steering.

‘08 NISSAN Altima

$15,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

Split Folding Rear Seat,Tilt Wheel, AM/FM Radio,PS.

‘09 CHEVROLETAveo

$13,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

3.8L V6, A/C, Split FoldingRear Seat, Tilt Wheel,CD Player, AM/FM Radio,PW, Cruise.

‘07 KIA Sedona

$12,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

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