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D8 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, June 23, 1999 An Oakville Beaver Advertising Feature To advertise in this section call 845-3824 IS YOUR GARAGE PROTECTING YOUR CAR BETTER THAN YOUR BARGAIN-RATE CAR INSURANCE? Don't trust just anyone to insure your car, see me: John B aum ann 627 Lyons Lane #308, Oakville 842-2225 M o d e m w o rkh o rse By Rob Beirrtema SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Presence. It's almost impossible to describe the qualities of any vehicle in just one word but if I had to sum up the characteristics of the 1999 Dodge Ram, then yes, I'd say it has presence. Size, styling, power and the intangi­ bles of the Dodge Ram legacy make it the kind of full-size pickup truck that just seems to fill up your rear view mir­ ror. The big rig styling makeover of the '94 model year revolutionized truck design and set the styling trend for almost all of the pickups of today. And last year, while other manufacturers were wrestling a third door into their pickups, Chrysler, again, went one bet­ ter, introducing the '98 Quad Cab, a four-door extended cab version. The Dodge Ram comes in a wide variety of sizes, strengths and configu­ rations. Regular Cab, Quad Cab and Club Cab models offer seating for 2 to 6 passengers. Standard or automatic, 4x2 or 4x4. Three weight classes, 1500, 2500 and 3500 models, allow you to pick the truck to match your payload. And you can weigh those demands against a list of five different power- plants. Regular Cab models start with the base 3.9 L 175 hp V6. Two V8s are offered, a- 5.2 L that makes 230 horses and a 5.9 L rated at 245 hp @ 4000 rpm. The top-of-the-line 8.0 L Magnum V I0 squeezes out an extra 10 horses for '99, to a new top end of 310 hp. For maxi­ mum workhorse grunt, an all-new 5.9 L Cummins Turbo Diesel makes 235 hp and an impressive 460 lb-ft of torque. My '99 tester was a 1500 Quad Cab 4X4 model powered by the brawny 5.9 L V8, strutting on 16" alloy wheels and wrapped in ominous black. But the Dodge Ram is an impressive truck in any color and handsome from any angle. The big nosed, Kenworth-styled design still works, is still pleasing to the eye. The good looks carry over into the interior, where the combinations of room, soft-touch ergonomics and over­ all excellence of fit and finish make for a very livable cabin space. "Each year, as the full-size pickup becomes a more accepted part of the mainstream vehicle mix, the demands it must fulfill become greater," said Jim Julow, General Manager of the Dodge Division. "It must be stylish, passenger- friendly and as comfortable as it is capa­ ble." And comfortable, it is. Front bench seating is roomy. This is one of those rare vehicles where I don't feel the need to move the seat all the way back. Which is just as well because fitting adults in the rear seat does require some move-up compromise from front seat occupants. Extended cabs are meant for occasional passengers and require some sacrifice front and back. We did howev­ er, make a few longish trips with two teenage girls in the back who were quite happy with the big rear seat and avail­ able space. Access for passengers or for just throwing groceries in the back seat is optimized by the two rear-hinged rear doors. The rear bench folds up and locks for maximum interior cargo space. I don't usually get excited over minor conveniences like cupholders but after fidgeting and wiggling my Tim Horton's takeout into the unlikely contraptions of other vehicles, it's nice to drop your cup into a huge tray that, BAM, plops down with acres of space all around it. An equally big flop-down laptop-sized business console offers table-top note­ book convenience and inside storage. Standard inferior appointments on base Rams are minimal, these are trucks after all, but my tester included a wealth of optional additions. An optional pack­ age added air conditioning, power and light convenience groups, keyless entry and alarm, overhead console with trip computer, and a CD player, to name just a few. Other features, new for '99, are limited to minor changes like a new headlight switch, an optional stor­ age bin under the rear seat and the "power window express down", a stu­ pid option I can easily live without. One nice new convenience item is the addition of audio controls to the steer­ ing wheel, a la Grand Cherokee. With cruise controls on the front of the steering wheel and audio buttons on the back of the spokes, this is a feature easy to get used to especially if, like me, you like to keep your hands on the wheel and prefer to switch stations rather than suffer through repetitive radio commercials. This is a $20 option bargain if the price sheet is to be believed, the best deal on a long list of additions that boost the $30,780 starting price to a lofty $40,120 as test­ ed. That still sounds pretty pricey for a pickup truck to a lot of people, so be very sure of your needs before you sign the dotted line. Likewise, when it comes to engine selection. Commuters and those who just love pickups will do quite nicely with the entry level 3.9 L V6. If you really need the stump­ pulling power of the bigger V8s or even the V10, be prepared to pay the gas pump penalty. Based on my 1000 km, 200 liter's and $110 gas bill, I'd guess trucker wanna-bes might find the 5.9 L V8 loses a little of its allure. But for those who need that muscle, the Dodge Ram is serious contender in the heavyweight category. With a GCWR rating of up to 9070 kg (20,000 lb.), a properly equipped Ram pickup can haul trailers weighing up to 6440 kg (14,200 lb.). Every Ram cargo box has stake pockets, tie-down brackets and slots for two-tier loading and cargo dividers. The 1999 Dodge Ram Quad Cab, just one model in a lineup that features a versatile selection of bold and capa­ ble full-size pickups, heavy-duty workhorses wrapped with all the mod­ ern comforts and conveniences. Night Driving tips □ Look as far ahead as you can. If you can see an object that might present a hazard, assume that it will, and slow down until you are absolutely certain it is not a hazard. Keep your wind­ shield clean. A windshield that is dirty inside or out­ side causes glare, decreasing visibili­ ty. . Windshield wipers that leave streaks or chatter across the wind­ shield also decrease visibility and should be replaced. Clean properly aligned headlights are also very important for iden­ tifying hazards. □ Avoid over­ driving your head­ lights. When an object becomes illuminated by your headlights, you should be dri­ ving slow enough to stop your car safely without hit­ ting it. JUNE 29TH 1999 TOWN & COUNTRY 1999 GRAND VOYAGER up to 48 months • On all 1999 1 Grand Minivans, Breezes & Neons m ■1999 PLYMOUTH 175 WYECROFT RD., OAKVILLE 845"6653 (BETWEEN KERR & DORVAL) w w w .lockw oodchrysler.com Financing From 4 8 month lease, ■ % # / montr 2 0 ,0 0 0 kms. per year $4500 down /m on th4 8 month lease, 2 0 , 0 0 0 kms. per year $ 4 ,0 0 0 down ' A /C , 5-spd. transmission, all wheel drive, A.B.S. p.w., p.l., tilt steering, utility roof rack, & much more 2412 South Service Rd. W ., Oakville w w w . p e n i n s u l a i m p o r t s . c o m 4 4 * http://www.lockwoodchrysler.com http://www.peninsulaimports.com