On the Move

Monday, October 17, 2011 For Advertising Information Contact Your Local Cars.Com On-The-Move Sales Team at 599-2329

Miami firm to patent wireless EV chargingMIAMI — Car Charging

Group Inc., a provider of electric vehicle charging services, has announced that it has filed two sepa-rate patents for inductive wireless EV charging.

The first patent is for an inductive charging station in the form of a parking bumper, which will charge EVs in parking lots and garages.

The second is to be

used underneath the road to charge EVs while they are driving. Both patents provide for a process that allows EV drivers to power and pay for their charging services wirelessly in an automatic, seamless trans-action.

“We’ve patented two inductive EV technologies that will revolutionize the EV and EV charging indus-try,” said Michael D. Far-kas, chief executive offi-cer of Car Charging Group.

“The first is a charging station designed to look and act like a parking bum-per that will charge the EV wirelessly when the car tires align with the parking bumper. EV own-ers will not have to plug in, nor will they have to interact with the charging station to pay for it — the billing will also be done wirelessly and automat-ically. Essentially, your car will charge from the moment it parks with no

effort whatsoever on the part of the EV driver.”

“The other technolo-gy, which will take time to commercialize due to its costly implementation, is an inductive wireless charging system embedded underground,” said Far-kas. “User-friendly induc-tive charging will facilitate the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. Going to the gas station will be a thing of the past.”

Car Charging Group pro-

vides EV charging stations to property owners and managers at no charge, and conversely does not pay fees or rent to the prop-erty owners of the loca-tions offering our charging stations. The firm retains ownership of the charging stations and remits a por-tion of the proceeds gen-erated to the respective locations’ owners.

The company estimates that 40 million plug-in elec-tric vehicles, such as the

Nissan LEAF, Chevrolet Volt, Fisker Karma, Tesla Model S, Ford Focus EV as well as many others, are expected to be on the road in the years ahead, mak-ing the development of a network of charging sta-tions critical.

Car Charging Group launched its operations nationally in Septem-ber 2009 and is looking to expand its operations internationally, the com-pany said.

Special to On The Move

1884 steam vehicle sold at Pa. auction for $4.62MHERSHEY, Pa. — An 1884

French-built steam run-about, billed as the world’s oldest running family car, has sold in Hershey for $4.62 million — about dou-ble the amount auctioneers expected.

The de Deon Bouton et Trepardoux Dos-a-Dos Steam Runabout sold Oct. 7 at the annual RM Auctions Inc. sale to an undisclosed buyer, said Tyler Castle, the Blenheim, Ontario-based company’s client services coordinator.

The auctioneer said there are older running vehicles, and some older cars that pos-sibly could be made to run again, but “La Marquise,” as it’s known, is one of the world’s most important col-lectible cars.

Pre-auction estimates had put the value at $2 million to $2.5 million.

Alain Squindo, a specialist in cars at RM Auctions, told

The Patriot-News of Harris-burg that while La Marquise could be driven, it is not as simple as turning a key.

“This is pretty remark-able,” he told the newspaper before the auction. “It pre-dates the Benz three-wheel-er, which everyone considers to be the start of the auto-mobile.”

It seats four, has a top speed of 38 mph and requires about 45 minutes to get pressure in the boil-ers sufficient to operate. A brass plate documents man-datory boiler inspections in 1889, 1894 and 1899.

The auctioneer’s descrip-tion said it was built after a French count was impressed by a model steam engine in a Paris toy store, and hired the manufacturers to create a full-model version attached to a carriage.

The auction winner is the fifth owner for the vehicle, which was owned by a single family for 81 years.

The Associated Press

Courtesy of rM AuCtions/the AssoCiAted Press

This undated photo provided by RM Auctions shows the 1884 French-built de Deon Bouton et Trepardoux Dos-a-Dos Steam Runabout. The runabout was sold for $4.62 million Oct. 7 at the annual RM Auctions Inc. sale to an undisclosed buyer, said Tyler Castle, the Blenheim, Ontario-based company’s client services coordinator.

Page 2 / Monday, October 17, 2011 Tallahassee Democrat / OnTheMOve

Cadillac unveils center-stack infotainment control system

Cadillac’s upcoming prod-uct offensive, starting with the XTS sedan this spring, will lean on General Motors’ most-comprehensive info-tainment system to date: the Cadillac User Experience, or Cue.

Cue runs on infotain-ment screens that replace the instrument panel and many of the traditional but-tons for the radio, heat or air-conditioner. Most of the car’s features run out of the center stack’s 8-inch-wide

touchscreen, which func-tions much like an iPad. Drivers can also use voice controls to play music, con-trol navigation or use their mobile phone.

Automakers have height-ened their emphasis on info-tainment as people have become more dependent on smartphone features. Before Ford launched its Sync sys-tem in 2007 to link vehicles to smartphones, so-called connectivity ranked 25th on the list of features cus-tomers look for in a vehi-cle, said Micky Bly, GM’s executive director of info-

tainment. Now, connectiv-ity ranks third to fifth on most customers’ lists, with 70 percent of customers expecting a car to have the features.

“We look at it as almost an arms race,” said design-er Dave Lyon, unveiling the Cue system to journalists during a recent conference call.

Part of the XTS’s center stack lifts to reveal a place to hook up a phone or mp3 player, allowing drivers to control features through the car. The screen’s fea-tures include Doppler weath-

er maps on the navigation screen, a QWERTY key-board for replying to texts and emails when the vehi-cle is in park and a GM app store to load in-car Pandora Internet radio features, for instance.

The control screen gives sensory feedback to fingers when they touch a digital button and doesn’t require any pressure, as do many automotive touch screens. It allows pinching, swiping and zooming, as customers have learned to do with smart-phones and tablets.

When the vehicle is mov-

ing, drivers can use whatev-er voice controls are natural, lead engineer Mike Hichme said. “They can say, ‘I’d like to listen to 101.1 (FM), please play 101.1, put on 101.1’ — use your imagination,” he said.

The system will read text messages and allow drivers to send pre-written respons-es while the car is moving. Drivers can also record a message to send as an audio file in a text. Shortly after the system’s launch, Cue will also be able to read emails and allow pre-writ-ten responses, said Jeff Mas-

similla, program manager for the system.

The battle to develop a user-friendly infotainment system intensified in Janu-ary, when Consumer Reports said Ford’s new MyFord Touch system’s touch-screen interface was so complicat-ed and distracting that the magazine would not recom-mend the vehicles on which it debuted.

Ford has made some improvements to that sys-tem. By 2015, Ford plans to introduce MyFord Touch on 80 percent of its Ford and Lincoln models.

By Chrissie ThompsonDetroit Free Press

GM betting on midsize pickup growth potentialST. LOUIS — It’s been

two years since a pickup has been made in the St. Lou-is area, but a new contract between General Motors and the United Auto Work-ers means pickups are poised once again to roll off a local assembly line.

The Wentzville, Mo., GM plant emerged a big winner when details of the United Auto Workers’ contract were revealed. In addition to the news that Detroit-based GM plans to add a second shift for van production early next year, labor union officials said GM also plans to add production of a midsize pick-up for the 2014 model year.

GM has not disclosed the model of the pickup that’s poised to be made here. A GM spokesman declined to comment on the contract or future production.

But analysts have speculat-ed that with next summer’s closing of GM’s Shreveport, La., plant, the next genera-tion of Colorado and GMC Canyon may be headed to Wentzville.

In September, GM intro-duced a concept vehicle at the auto show in Frankfurt,

Germany, called the Colora-do Rally, which will be made in Thailand and sold outside of the U.S.

In a news release issued in September, GM cited the vehicle’s worldwide appeal.

“This is a world-class truck that will appeal to buyers not just in the heav-ily concentrated truck mar-kets of Southeast Asia, but around the world.”

Bill Visnic, a senior analyst at Edmunds.com, an automotive consumer research website based in Santa Monica, Calif., says the Colorado Rally concept

is a precursor to what likely will be built in Wentzville.

“The conventional think-ing is that truck is the one that will come out of Wentz-ville,” Visnic said.

The UAW’s 48,500 mem-bers who work for GM nationwide ratified the four-year contract this week.

If GM’s expansion moves forward, it will be the first time pickups have been pro-duced locally since July 2009, when Chrysler closed its North assembly plant that made Dodge Ram pickups in Fenton, Mich.

For Wentzville, adding the pickup would mean the addi-

tion of more than 1,000 jobs, beginning in 2013, accord-ing to Local 2250 Chairman Mike Bullock. The local rep-resents hourly workers at the plant situated about 40 miles west of St. Louis.

Currently, about 1,300 employees work a single pro-duction shift at the plant, which makes Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vans. Adding a second shift for van production would create between 400 and 700 jobs, Bullock said. GM plans to invest $380 million in the facility, according the union.

The midsize pickup cate-

gory has suffered in recent years, as many buyers opt-ed for trucks with bigger engines and towing capaci-ties. Sales of midsize pick-ups in the U.S. declined from 5.2 percent market share in 2002 to 2.2 percent so far this year, according to Edmunds.com. There were 867,830 compact trucks sold domesti-cally in 2002, compared with 264,206 last year.

“The midsize segment has been the victim of the car companies themselves because they shifted their emphasis to full-size pick-ups,” Visnic said. “Because of that, there’s been almost

no investment by the car companies on fuel efficien-cy for midsize trucks.”

As sales declined, two automakers are exiting the midsize category: Ford is ending production of its Ranger pickup this year, and Chrysler stopped making the Ram Dakota in August.

With the only other remaining midsize trucks the Toyota Tacoma and the Nissan Frontier, GM could carve out a larger piece of the midsize market, ana-lysts said.

“There are still some buy-ers who want the smaller footprint of a smaller truck and don’t want to drive the larger trucks,” Visnic said. Kristin Dziczek, director of the Center for Automotive Research’s Labor and Indus-try Group, said the invest-ment headed for Wentzville shows GM is betting on the future demand for midsize trucks.

“Tooling up for new prod-ucts — especially those that are not expected to be pro-duced in other plants in the region — is a strong signal of future viability,” Dziczek said. “The midsized truck fits many households and small businesses better than the larger pickups.”

By Lisa BrownSt. Louis Post-Dispatch faCTory faCTs

GM’s WENTZVILLE assEMBLy PLaNTOpened: 1983Size: 3.7 million square feet Product: Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full size vansProduction 2010: 97,107 vehiclesUnion: UAW Local 2250Current jobs: 1,196 hourly, 135 salariedCurrent payroll: $104 millionHistory: In 1997, GM opened a stamping facility adjacent to the Wentzville plant, which makes van parts. Went to one shift in August 2009 after recession weakened demand for the vans from small businesses and other commercial firms.Expansion: Adding a second shift in the first quarter of 2012 and adding pickup production for the 2014 model year. Combined, the expansion would add 1,850 jobs.

— Source: GM, Post-Dispatch research

Erik Lunsford/st. Louis Post-disPatch/Mct

Gerrion Grim of O’Fallon works on the Chevrolet Express van assembly line Sept. 20 at the GM Wentzville Assembly Plant.

OnTheMOve / Tallahassee Democrat Monday, October 17, 2011 / Page 3

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

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

‘07 CHEVROLETAvalanche

$28,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

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

‘10 CHEVROLETTraverse

$28,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet

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

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

‘10 CHEVROLETSilverado 1500

$24,9881-888-700-0213

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, 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


‘08 LINCOLN MKZ

$20,9881-888-700-0213

ChampionChevrolet


‘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


‘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

TD-0000188507


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

NEWHonda 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.

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.

‘08 CHEVROLET Impala

$15,499866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru

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

‘08 SUBARU Legacy (Natl)

$15,487866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru

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

‘06 HONDA Civic

$12,8941-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

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

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

‘03 BMW 325

$11,9781-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

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

‘09 KIA Rio

$11,4811-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

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

‘06 MERCURY Mariner

$10,4771-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘06 TOYOTA Highlander

$15,9961-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura

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

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


$15,7221-866-938-4982

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


‘04 BMW 325

$14,9251-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

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

‘10 CHEVROLET Cobalt

$13,9421-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

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

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

‘07 PONTIAC Solstice

$16,9901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura

1.8L I4, A/C, 4DR AUTO LX, ABS, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, PL.

‘10 HONDA Civic Sdn

$17,587866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru


‘07 HONDA CR-V

$15,995866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru


‘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

1.8L I4, A/C, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, PS.

‘10 NISSAN cube

$16,8781-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

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, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, PS.

‘10 FORD Focus

$15,8521-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

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

‘10 HONDA Accord

$18,482866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru

A/C, Alloy Wheels, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player.

‘08 SUBARU Forester

$17,987866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru


‘08 VOLKSWAGEN Passat

$19,8521-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘10 FORD Explorer

$17,9881-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

3.5L V6, A/C, Alloy Wheels, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, Pwr Moonroof, CD Player.

‘05 ACURA MDX

$17,4871-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 HONDA Civic

$16,9891-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘06 HONDA Accord

$16,9871-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

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

‘08 ACURA RL

$28,9901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura



$19,986866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru

5.3L V8, A/C, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, CD Player.

‘06 CHEVROLET Avalanche

$19,976866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru

4.0L V6, Tilt-Adjustable Steering Wheel, Spd-Proportional Power Steering.

‘11 NISSAN Frontier

$21,9581-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

3.5L V6, A/C, Split Folding Rear Seat, Tilt Wheel, Pwr Moonroof, CD Player, AM/FM Radio.

‘07 HONDA Pilot

$21,8281-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

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

‘10 HONDA Element

$20,2221-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

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

‘08 HONDA CR-V

$19,8781-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

Tilt And Telescopic Steering Wheel, PW, Cruise, PS.

‘11 HYUNDAI Santa Fe

$19,8771-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

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

‘08 ACURA MDX

$29,4061-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura

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

‘08 HONDA Pilot

$22,878866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru

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

‘08 VOLKSWAGEN Eos

$20,878866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru


‘10 HONDA Pilot

$34,8981-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘09 HONDA Ridgeline

$28,4501-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

A/C, Alloy Wheels, CD Player, AM/FM Radio, PW, Cruise, PS.

‘08 HONDA S2000

$27,9891-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$23,4871-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

Tilt And Telescopic Steering Wheel, PW, Cruise, Spd-Proportional Power Steering.

‘11 HONDA Accord

$22,4441-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda

V6 Cylinder, A/C, Alloy Wheels, FWD 4DR CXL, ABS, Rear Air Conditioning.

‘08 BUICK Enclave

$29,8991-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘10 VOLKSWAGEN CC

$29,4861-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura

5.4L V8, A/C, Alloy Wheels, Split Folding Rear Seat, ABS, Tilt Wheel, CD Player.

‘10 FORD F-150

$29,3431-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘09 ACURA TSX

$26,4901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura

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

‘06 ACURA TL

$19,9901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘05 ACURA TL

$16,4221-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘04 TOYOTA Camry Solara

$12,9901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura



$15,499866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$15,487866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru


‘06 HONDA Civic

$12,8941-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$11,9891-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘03 BMW 325

$11,9781-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘09 KIA Rio

$11,4811-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$10,4771-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$15,9961-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura



$15,990866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$15,790866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$15,7221-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 MAZDA Mazda6

$15,4401-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘04 BMW 325

$14,9251-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$13,9421-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$13,4931-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$16,9901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura



$17,587866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru


‘07 HONDA CR-V

$15,995866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru


‘10 FORD Fusion

$16,8981-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘10 MAZDA Mazda3

$16,8781-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘10 NISSAN cube

$16,8781-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘04 FORD F-150

$16,8271-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘10 FORD Focus

$15,8521-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$25,9911-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘10 HONDA Accord

$18,482866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$17,987866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$19,8521-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘10 FORD Explorer

$17,9881-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘05 ACURA MDX

$17,4871-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 HONDA Civic

$16,9891-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘06 HONDA Accord

$16,9871-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 ACURA RL

$28,9901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura



$19,986866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$19,976866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$21,9581-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘07 HONDA Pilot

$21,8281-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘10 HONDA Element

$20,2221-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 HONDA CR-V

$19,8781-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$19,8771-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 ACURA MDX

$29,4061-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘08 HONDA Pilot

$22,878866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$20,878866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru


‘10 HONDA Pilot

$34,8981-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$28,4501-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 HONDA S2000

$27,9891-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$23,4871-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘11 HONDA Accord

$22,4441-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 BUICK Enclave

$29,8991-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘10 VOLKSWAGEN CC

$29,4861-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘10 FORD F-150

$29,3431-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘09 ACURA TSX

$26,4901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘06 ACURA TL

$19,9901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘05 ACURA TL

$16,4221-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura



$12,9901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura



$15,499866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$15,487866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru


‘06 HONDA Civic

$12,8941-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$11,9891-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘03 BMW 325

$11,9781-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘09 KIA Rio

$11,4811-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$10,4771-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$15,9961-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura



$15,990866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$15,790866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$15,7221-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 MAZDA Mazda6

$15,4401-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘04 BMW 325

$14,9251-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$13,9421-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$13,4931-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$16,9901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura



$17,587866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru


‘07 HONDA CR-V

$15,995866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru


‘10 FORD Fusion

$16,8981-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘10 MAZDA Mazda3

$16,8781-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘10 NISSAN cube

$16,8781-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘04 FORD F-150

$16,8271-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘10 FORD Focus

$15,8521-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$25,9911-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘10 HONDA Accord

$18,482866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$17,987866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$19,8521-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘10 FORD Explorer

$17,9881-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘05 ACURA MDX

$17,4871-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 HONDA Civic

$16,9891-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘06 HONDA Accord

$16,9871-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 ACURA RL

$28,9901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura



$19,986866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$19,976866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$21,9581-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘07 HONDA Pilot

$21,8281-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘10 HONDA Element

$20,2221-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 HONDA CR-V

$19,8781-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$19,8771-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 ACURA MDX

$29,4061-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘08 HONDA Pilot

$22,878866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru



$20,878866-527-5191

Proctor Subaru


‘10 HONDA Pilot

$34,8981-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$28,4501-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 HONDA S2000

$27,9891-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda



$23,4871-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘11 HONDA Accord

$22,4441-866-938-4982

Proctor Honda


‘08 BUICK Enclave

$29,8991-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘10 VOLKSWAGEN CC

$29,4861-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘10 FORD F-150

$29,3431-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘09 ACURA TSX

$26,4901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘06 ACURA TL

$19,9901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura


‘05 ACURA TL

$16,4221-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura



$12,9901-866-938-4963

Proctor Acura



Car-buying tips for older driversMELVILLE, N.Y. — At

86, retired doctor Sidney Austein of Merrick, N.Y., is typical of his age group in at least one respect: When he needed a new car, he bought American because he thought it was the right thing to do for the coun-try.

His ride is a Cadillac CTS, purchased recent-ly from octogenarian car dealer Paul Conte in Free-port, N.Y. “I heard they’re better now,” said Austein, who had a bad experience in the 1970s with an Amer-ican-made Pontiac and had been buying Toyotas ever since.

Americans who are mid-dle-age and older, like Austein, dominate the new car market, accounting for 73 percent of buyers and lessees, according to the California-based market research firm J.D. Power and Associates.

As baby boomers age, their “green power” has grown with their numbers, says Power’s auto research director, Jon Osborn. “The economy has knocked the younger folks out of the market, leaving more of the more financially secure, older consumers to buy and lease new vehicles,” he wrote in an email.

The stumbling economy has put everyone who has the wherewithal into the driver’s seat in the supply-demand balance that deter-mines the actual sales pric-es of cars, experts say. And even if the buyers’ credit is less than pristine, experts and local car dealers say, financing is more avail-able than it was at this time last year.

Austein said he has wanted a Cadillac since the first time he saw the pink Eldorado his father bought new in 1957. “I kept saying, ‘I’m going to

drive a Cadillac someday,’ ” Austein recalled. His CTS is silver. He also wanted to buy American. “The econ-omy is lousy, jobs down the drain. I said, ‘Let’s do something for America for a change — enough with the foreign cars.’ ”

Whether you’re in the market for a new 2011 or 2012 or a “pre-owned” ride that will be new to you, experts suggest tak-ing precautions and doing your homework for the best deal.

Here are some of their tips to help make your pur-chase a happy one.

Determine the type of vehicle you want and how much you want to spend for it.

Get quotes from sever-al dealers for the model you want — in person, via email or by fax. “What helps you buy a car cheap-er is going to a couple of dealers and getting pric-es,” said Robert Certilman, owner of Smithtown Acura. But, he cautions, be sure the quotes are for exactly the same car—model and equipment. Some experts suggest obtaining dealer quotes via email or fax so you’ll have them in writ-ing.

Ask friends and family to recommend a dealer-ship. You could check for complaints with the Better Business Bureau, though that’s not foolproof.

Get out your magnify-ing glass and read the fine print of ads that seem to be too good to be true. Some-times there’s a catch, like a low mileage limit for a lease, or a requirement for excellent credit to get a low interest rate on a loan.

During your test drive, be sure you can comfort-ably operate all of the vehi-cle’s controls — including those newfangled ones that operate like a computer, with a mouse and screen.

Some can be dangerously distracting.

Don’t sign anything with-out reading it. Try not to negotiate or sign anything when you’re tired or hun-gry, advises Philip Reed, senior consumer advice editor of the auto informa-tion website Edmunds.com. “A lot of people have said to me, ‘I signed just to get it over with.’ ”

B e aw a r e t h at t h e “invoice price” the deal-er is willing to show you is not necessarily what the dealer actually paid for the vehicle. The Federal

Trade Commission notes on its website, FTC.gov, that it’s “the manufacturer’s initial charge to the deal-er” and often gets reduced by rebates, allowances, discounts and incentive awards to dealers. Reed says his website’s “true market values” try to take most of that into account, but he added, “There are a lot of moving pieces behind the scenes.”

Simple is better. Reed says there are fewer chanc-es of getting flimflammed or confused in a straight cash-for-a-car deal — with

no trade-in and no deal-er-arranged financing. Negotiate a price for the car first, he says. Then, if you want any of those added services, talk about them separately.

Beware of last-minute add-ons. In an email, a spokeswoman for the New York State Attorney Gen-eral’s office said, “The No. 1 complaint we hear is that people feel they are pushed into buying many extras that they don’t need or want. For example, ser-vice contracts, extended warranties, various theft devices.” And make sure any dealer-installed items don’t void your warranty.

Consider a lease if you like to change cars every three or four years and are always making car pay-ments anyway. Be aware, however, that many finan-cial institutions that got burned a few years ago, when used vehicle pric-es collapsed, are setting more realistic — i.e. lower — “residuals,” the antici-pated value of the vehicle at lease end. The lower the residual, the higher your monthly payment, all other things being equal.

Learn your credit score, then shop for financing. The dealer, with a man-ufacturer’s assistance, might offer the best — and most convenient — loan, but you won’t know for sure until you check. An unscrupulous dealer might talk you into a high inter-est rate by falsely claim-ing that your credit is bad, says Certilman. He notes also that signing a credit application at a dealership doesn’t obligate you to take the loan if you don’t like the terms offered.

Get an insurance quote on the car before you buy it; some models are sur-charged for high theft rates or high costs for replace-ment parts.

By Tom IncantalupoNewsday

General Motors/the associated Press

In a survey last year of people who bought cars between May 2009 and April last year, buyers 65 and older Were somewhat more likely to buy certain SUVs — such as the Chevrolet Equinox, shown above — than younger buyers.

TRENDSWHAT OLDER DRIVERS ARE BUYING In a survey last year of people who bought cars between May 2009 and April last year, buyers 65 and older: n Bought more Buicks, Lincolns, Cadillacs and — when they were still available — Mercuries than younger folks. But most gravitated toward the same brands as everyone else: Toyota, Ford, Chevrolet, Honda, Nissan and Hyundai. Among younger buyers, Honda displaced Ford in second place. n Were somewhat more likely to buy certain SUVs — such as the Honda CR-V and Chevrolet Equinox — than young-er buyers, despite those vehicles’ perception as being designed for families with young children. n Were somewhat more likely than younger people to buy Detroit brands but were much less likely than younger ones to buy European models. n Were somewhat more likely than younger people to buy the most popular hybrid model — the Toyota Prius.

— Source: J.D. Power and Associates

ON THE WEBINTERNET RESOURCESFree websites to help choose your next car and dealer: n NADA Guides: An excellent shopping tool, with list prices, pho-tos, specifications, side-by-side comparisons, reviews, a dealer inven-tory locator and used car values. http://www.nadaguides.com/ n Free credit report: A service for consumers to request free annual credit reports, created by the consumer credit reporting companies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — in accor-dance with the Fair and Accurate Credit Transac-tions Act. http://www.annualcreditreport.com n Better Business Bureau: Check a deal-er’s complaint record. http://www.bbb.org n Federal Trade Com-mission: Questions to ask before buying an extended warranty or service agreement. http://1.usa.gov/p1pZr9 n Kelley Blue Book: For dealer costs, retail base and options prices, vehi-cles specs and more. http://www.kbb.com n National Highway Traffic Safety Admin-istration: Check safety ratings of vehicles. The tests got tougher for 2011; many of the new-est models score lower than their predecessors or other pre-2011 mod-els. http://www.safer-car.gov n Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: Safety ratings from this orga-nization often find fault with vehicles highly rat-ed by the federal gov-ernment. http://www.iihs.org/ratings


VW enjoys an American renaissanceA car company hoping for

mainstream success in the U.S. has quality problems and earns a sales-damaging rep-utation for unreliable vehi-cles.

Fighting to keep a handhold in America, the automaker does a deep dive into Ameri-can tastes and rolls out some larger, better-equipped, but also value-priced vehicles that sell like crazy.

That sounds like the saga of South Korean automaker Hyundai, which evolved from invisible in the 1980s to seem-ingly unstoppable now, after improving the quality and jazzing up its designs.

But it also describes Volk-swagen.

“VW is one of the most promising brands for the rest of this year and next year,” says Jesse Toprak, in charge of forecasting market trends for auto researcher TrueCar.com.

The purveyor of interest-ing, German-flavored vehicles that are getting more Amer-ican all the time is riding a streak of hefty monthly sales increases.

In the first nine months of this year, VW brand sales are up about 22 percent, more than twice the overall market rise of 10 percent, according to tally master Autodata.

And VW just launched two high-profile 2012 redesigns — Passat and Beetle — that should keep the pot boiling.

VW also swears its quality and reliability are improving quickly, though that’s not ful-ly reflected yet in third-party report cards from Consumer Reports magazine and consul-tant J.D. Power and Associ-ates. Warranty costs are drop-ping 10 percent a year, VW says, and other arm’s-length studies show that owners love their VWs, even if something might still go wrong.

VW also has the main-stream diesel market to itself. Fuel-stingy diesels are 22 percent of its U.S. sales. The only other way to get a fuel-

efficient diesel in the U.S. is to pay Audi/BMW/Mercedes-Benz prices, or buy a truck.

Most important, the VW brand will make an operat-ing profit in the U.S. this year for the first time since 2003, according to VW U.S. CEO Jonathan Browning.

And it will report a full, all-in profit in 2013, he says, even counting the U.S. brand’s share of costs for the new $1 billion Chattanooga, Tenn., factory that now makes Pas-sats and will make other vehi-cles to be identified in the future.

Do the monthly sales jumps and the developments make VW the new Hyundai?

“They could be. They have the potential to gain market share, pull in first-time buy-ers sitting around in the neth-erworld of pent-up demand,” says Rebecca Lindland, vet-eran auto-industry analyst at consultant IHS Automo-tive.

The obvious difference between the two automak-ers’ market trajectory is that Hyundai earned its way up the ladder of success in the U.S. over just more than two decades. VW, in this market more than half a century, had it, lost it and wants it back.

Can VW success last?And it seems to be succeed-

ing — but for how long?“You take volume from

everybody. That’s how you grow,” Lindland says. “I’m not sure Volkswagen is situ-ated to do that.”

For one thing, other auto-makers won’t make the mis-take they made with Hyun-dai: paying too little attention to a small blip on the radar that quickly became a big threat to their sales.

For another, VW might run out of ammo.

By the end of this year, dealers will be well-stocked with the redone Passat that hit the market a few weeks ago and is selling about three times as fast as the old model in recent years.

The full remake of the

iconic Beetle, also now on sale, seems quick out of the gate, though it’s too soon to judge.

Next year, VW will roll out the headline-grabbing hybrid version of the hot-sell-ing redesigned Jetta compact that’s been on sale a year.

Then, for a few years, it will have to depend for buzz on introduction of some spe-cialty models, such as high-performance “R” versions of some cars and a Beetle convertible, plus some mild updates to other vehicles.

“You almost have me tak-ing out the handkerchief, it’s so negative,” Browning says sarcastically, dismissing such a dire scenario.

He acknowledges some troublesome dead spots in VW’s product array: “There are certain opportunities in our lineup, but those are quite some way in the future.”

Still, he says, “I expect our growth rate to be at least as high again next year” as this year.

Browning, 52, was pro-moted from running VW’s national sales operation to CEO of Volkswagen Group of America and president of the VW brand in the U.S. Oct. 1, 2010. He worked for Gen-eral Motors and Ford Motor before that, mainly with their European operations.

VW Group, which in the U.S. also includes Audi, Bent-

ley and Lamborghini, has 3.4 percent of U.S. sales, most-ly VWs and Audis. Audi is doing well and made mon-ey last year, Browning says. “The Volkswagen brand is the missing piece.”

Continuing the VW brand’s sales momentum is critical to him. He’s under orders to boost the brand’s U.S. sales to 800,000 by 2018 — from a predicted 330,000 this year — as part of parent VW AG’s drive to sell more vehicles than any other automaker on the planet.

VW AG, based in Wolfs-burg, Germany, was No.3 in 2010. It lagged behind only General Motors and Toyota Motor, which were virtually tied for first, according to the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufactur-ers. Based on midyear sales trends, VW might wind up in second place globally when the trade association’s year-ly tally is announced next summer.

Love, American styleThe Americanization of

VW models seems success-ful so far.

n The 2011 Jetta compact sedan, on sale since last October, was the first Yank-mobile.

It started at about $17,000, some $1,700 less than the 2010. It was stretched about 3 inches, providing more leg-

room.Sales jumped about 30 per-

cent immediately, and have been close to twice those of the old model in some months.

n The 2012 Passat, on sale in September, is nearly $7,200 less for the base model, and is 4 inches longer for much more leg and kneeroom.

Even though it wasn’t in showrooms the entire month, its September sales of 3,176 were four times the old mod-el’s a year ago. If that rate continues for a full year, the new model will triple the past year’s Passat sales.

n The 2012 Beetle, on sale in September, is 7 inches lon-ger, 3 inches wider than the old model called New Bee-tle and discontinued in 2010. Its base engine has 20 more horsepower, and the base price of around $20,000 is unchanged.

VW says the Beetle is a mixed blessing. It’s the rea-son many people know VW. But if it’s too much of VW’s identity, buyers will dismiss Volkswagen as a quirky bou-tique brand and not notice the value-price, mainstream models.

Browning also sees VW’s Tiguan compact crossover SUV as a potential home run in the U.S. Even before a 2012 freshening and despite prices starting at $25,160 for two-wheel drive with automatic — vs. $22,705 for a similar Honda CR-V rival — Tiguan sales had begun to jump.

A fully Americanized Tiguan, meaning enlarged and priced lower, will take a full remake. That’s likely to be several years from now and require a shift of produc-tion from Europe to Mexico or the U.S. to allow VW to bring down the price.

Browning has his eye on expanding the line, such as with a version of the Bulli concept model that’s been displayed at auto shows. It resembles the old VW Bus, but is smaller and has con-ventional sedan doors, not side sliders.

“A reinvention of the Micro Bus — it’s a program that I’d like to see the light of day in the marketplace,” he says.

Serious about the U.S.

That would require a deci-sion from VW AG, which he says is more interested and committed than ever to U.S. success.

About three weeks ago, “We had the whole of the global leadership team at Chattanooga, all brands, all divisions; 400 of them, in Chattanooga, focused on what does it take to win in America,” he says. That gathering of the brass “only happens every two or three years,” and the U.S. focus “is an indicator of how serious the company is” about North America.

Perhaps heretical in the product-obsessed auto busi-ness, Browning says VW’s success in the U.S. “isn’t just about bringing product into the marketplace. The product is very important, but what you’re really doing is open-ing the door to a much larg-er group of customers. We weren’t previously on their shopping lists” because of VW’s reputation as expen-sive and troublesome.

VW’s growth outlinen Improve quality.n Boost customer satis-

faction.n Be a top employer, to

attract the best workers.n Average 8 percent gross

profit.Even if it succeeds, ana-

lysts such as Lindland don’t foresee VW hitting the 800,000 U.S. sales target.

“More like 700,000, though that’s close,” she says.

She says the brand must not lose the main ingredi-ent that makes it appealing in a rush to hit the numbers: “They can’t give up their ‘Volkswagenness.’ That’s what makes them stand out; that’s why people like them.”

By James R. HealeyUSA TODAY

Democrat files

The 2012 Beetle, on sale in September, is 7 inches longer, 3 inches wider than the old model called New Beetle and discontinued in 2010.


TD-0000188511

On the Move

Documents

ev charging stations

charging services

ev charging indus

inductive wireless ev

inductive charging station

car charging group pro

ev drivers

inductive ev technologies