2011 Fall Drive Whatcom

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Whatcom New Hyundai Veloster offers ‘cool’ and practical sports car vibes.

See C6 inside

F-150 pickup now benefits from Eco-Boost engine......... C5

Drivers get free light inspection.................................................C3 A supplement of the

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011 | Ferndale Record

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FALL DRIVE WHATCOM

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FALL DRIVE WHATCOM

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011 | Ferndale Record

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Lights on

Drivers line up on Saturday, Oct. 1, to receive a free vehicle light inspection and replacement. The end of summer means more hours of darkness and the need for reliable lighting systems. Drivers also received a free litter bag, an envelope for holding vehicle registration and insurance cards, and information on how to prepare for winter driving. — Ferndale Record | COURTESY PHOTO

Over 400 drivers get free light inspection, replacement Megan Claflin Ferndale Record editor WHATCOM — On Oct. 1, members from Automotive Service Association (ASA) shops around Whatcom County volunteered at locations in Everson and Bellingham to offer more than 400 local drivers free inspection and replacement of vehicle lights.

Even the Bellingham Police Department took advantage of the free service, offered on the first Saturday of every October as part of the association’s Fall Car Care Month, when an officer was informed by a citizen that one of his cruiser’s taillights had burnt out.

“When he showed up we all had to

chuckle a little,” said Nita Harksell, ASA treasurer and co-owner of Pete’s Automotive Repair in Ferndale. “The officer said that he regularly pulled drivers over for their taillights being out, so when he realized he had the same offense he was quick to get it repaired."

Harksell said that more than 80 percent of the replacements were of license plate lights, which is something drivers can often overlook or may be unaware is a ticketable offense. Tail lights, turn signals and marker lights were also replaced during the event by technicians and owners from 13 ASA shops located in Whatcom County.

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assist with the inspection process. Drivers also received a free litter bag, an envelope for holding vehicle registration and insurance cards, and information on how to prepare for winter driving.

“The ASA is a great program for connecting shops around the area and promoting collaborative relationships for networking and information,” Harksell said. “We really don’t think of each other as competitors; we’re all shop owners.”

The ASA is an international organization comprised of allied members who all observe a code of ethics for customer service and quality of workmanship. The organization offers its member continuing education and other information services for small business owners.

ASA is an international organization comprised of allied members who all observe a code of ethics for customer service and quality of workmanship.

For more information, visit www. asashop.org.

Email Megan Claflin at news@ferndalerecord.com.

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011 | Ferndale Record

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FALL DRIVE WHATCOM

As summer winds down, cars still suffer effects of heat exposure     While  summer’s  warm  temperatures  may be starting to fade, many motorists are  unaware that their cars may be experiencing  symptoms  of  heat  exhaustion.  From  batteries  to  tires,  heat  takes  a  toll  on  vehicles.       Before you head out for your next road  trip,  AutoZone  recommends  performing  a  few proactive checks to help prevent a costly and unpleasant breakdown.   Test batteries.     Heat  is  a  battery’s  worst  enemy.  Corrosion caused by heat is the leading cause  of  battery  failure.  Many  batteries  that  fail  in fall and winter months had already been  significantly weakened during the preceding hot summer months.      A  vehicle  may  experience  very  subtle  signs of battery failure that usually go unnoticed.  Therefore,  drivers  should  make  a  battery condition check a part of their cars’  regular  maintenance  schedule.  Motorists  who are concerned that their batteries may  be  failing  should  get  them  checked  or  replaced immediately.  Check fluids.     Checking  and  maintaining  the  levels  on  key  fluids  such  as  transmission  fluid,  coolant and engine oil can prevent engines  from overheating.      One  of  the  key  functions  of  motor  oil  is to transfer heat away from the hot points  within the engine so it can run cooler and  operate efficiently. Using a lower viscosity,  full synthetic engine oil can protect critical  engine parts, even at temperatures as high  as 500 degrees.  Inspect tires for wear and appropriate tire pressure.     Heat  can  cause  tire  pressure  to  rise.  Tire  problems  are  the  leading  cause  of  breakdowns.  Under-inflated  tires  can  lead  to  blowouts  and  serious  accidents.  The 

appropriate  tire  pressure  amount  can  be  found inside the driver-side door on most  vehicles.

Keep the air filter clean.     Replacing  a  clogged  air  filter  can  lead  to increased performance and acceleration.  Air  filters  should  be  checked  at  every  oil  change and replaced every 12,000 miles.  Check and replace vital vehicle components.     Replace  components  such  as  spark  plugs and oxygen sensors at recommended  intervals. Regular maintenance can prevent  costly damage, improve fuel efficiency and  prevent a breakdown.

Perform routine scheduled maintenance checks.     Motorists  should  check  their  owner’s  manual  for  a  schedule  of  recommended  maintenance  intervals  from  the  vehicle  manufacturer.  If  the  owner’s  manual  has  been lost, many websites, such as the National  Car  Care  Council’s  website,  www. carcare.org, offer a recommended maintenance schedule for vehicles.  Be prepared.     Visit  an  automotive  retailer  to  purchase a roadside emergency kit. Also keep  items  such  as  a  tire  pressure  gauge,  spare  serpentine belt and jumper cables handy in  case of a breakdown.      Jody Devere,  CEO of Ask Patty, an automotive  advice  website,  recommends  checking  and  maintaining  critical  vehicle  components  as  the  hot  summer  comes  to  an end.      “Many  vehicle  components  can  be  weakened  during  continuous  days  of  hot  weather,�  Devere  said.  “Checking  and  replacing  key  vehicle  components  in  early  fall can uncover any damage that occurred  during the hot summer months.�

Battery corrosion is just one of the side effects of summer heat and it can quickly lead to battery failure. — Courtesy photo

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FALL DRIVE WHATCOM

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011 | Ferndale Record

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F-150 pickup now benefits from Eco-Boost engine New efficiency technology pulls more torque out of smaller motors Mark Reimers Tribune reporter     WHATCOM — It’s a classic American dilemma: How big of a truck do I need?     In the past, size mattered for buyers looking for a little hauling power. Need to take the boat to the lake a couple of times in the summer? Fine, but you will have to live with a monster gas or dieselguzzling V-8 engine all year.     But the trade-off between gas efficiency and horsepower just got a whole lot easier to swallow with the arrival of the Eco-Boost engine in the Ford F-150 pickup truck.     Mike Diehl, owner of Diehl Ford in Bellingham, said the new high-tech F150 is a good fit for Whatcom County, since locals can now haul up to 11,300 pounds with a V-8 engine.     The Eco-Boost benefit only compounds the flexibility that the F-150 has offered truck drivers for decades — a perfect compromise between utility and comfort, Diehl said.     It’s that flexibility that has made the F-150 the best-selling vehicle in the world for nearly 34 years straight.

    Diehl said he has seen studies showing that F-150 drivers come from a similar demographic as the drivers of a luxury sedan from Lexus.     The new technology in a V-6 is delivered along with the use of twin turbochargers, one for each bank of cylinders.

However, as the turbo systems harness the exhaust to compress air back into the engine, Eco-Boost delivers high-pressure fuel injection, boosting the overall torque. An intercooler also ensures that the incoming air can cool and become more dense, allowing more into the engine.     It’s not all that different in theory from turbine jet engines as Diehl remembers them from his military days — the so-call “suck, squeeze, bang and blow.�     All that is to say that a smaller engine is getting a lot more work done, while also getting better fuel economy than a traditional engine of its size. The secondary benefit of all that is a lighter engine and smaller displacement creating less of a burden for itself.

See BOOST on C7

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011 | Ferndale Record

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FALL DRIVE WHATCOM

New Veloster offers ‘cool’ and practical sports car vibes Hyundai pushes fuel efficiency in new model Tim Newcomb Tribune assistant editor WHATCOM — That third door takes you by surprise, just one of the fun features embedded in the completely overhauled 2012 Hyundai Veloster.

Hyundai started from scratch in completely overhauling its 2012 sports car-esque Veloster, a vehicle that looks and feels like plenty more than a sedan, but doesn’t take performance over the top, keeping practicality in play with close to 45 miles per gallon on the highway.

Starting at less than $18,000, the Veloster has plenty of “cool” features that others in its class — and price point — certainly don’t, said Scott Weber, sales manager at Bellingham’s Rairdon Hyundai.

First off, the three-door set-up is one-of-a-kind. With the look of a twodoor coupe, a small third door on the passenger side accesses the back seat, turning a sports car into a family car.

The entire roof is translucent, giving you one of the largest panoramic sunroof opportunities on the market.

The hatch in the back opens up to offer storage and the back seats lay flat.

A sports car with a hatchback and a third door? Very user-friendly.

“It has the body of a sports car and cosmetically is a sports car,” Weber said.

“It is just cool.”

The 1.6-liter, 138-horsepower engine provides some punch, but isn’t too overpowering for everyday driving, Weber said. However, for those who want a bit more pep, expect the Veloster turbo version to hit sales lots in the spring.

The current version, which has been on the Bellingham lot for about one month, has Hyundai’s new gasoline-direct injection, which sends fuel into each

A deadly combination of looks, features and practicality has the 2012 Hyundai Veloster appealing to everyone from 18-yearolds to grandmas. — Lynden Tribune | TIM NEWCOMB cylinder, rendering fuel-injection obsolete and providing more power with less moving parts and better gas mileage.

The interior of the Veloster keeps everything you need close at hand, from its Blue Link communication system (you can add, on a subscriber basis, everything from navigation to speed monitoring to a local traffic watch), XM radio, Bluetooth, ports for iPods and cell phones and all

the controls you need to run the gizmos handy on the steering wheel.

In keeping with its Formula 1 racing inspiration, the six-speed automatic has paddle shifters on the wheel, a “fun” feature, Weber said.

While Hyundai is quick to push the fuel efficiency (certainly unique for its class, Weber said), the company’s 10year, 100,000-mile warranty also serves

as a massive draw.

Weber said the combination of look, features and practicality has the car appealing to everyone from 18-year-olds to grandmas.

And as far as a car getting 40 miles per gallon? The Veloster does it with personality.

Email Tim Newcomb at tim@lyndentribune.com.

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FALL DRIVE WHATCOM

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011 | Ferndale Record

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Boost: Success leads to new models Continued from C5 The Eco-Boost made its debut in the F-150 for the 2011 model year, but has already been around in other models such as the Ford Flex and Taurus SHO as well as the Lincoln MKT and MKS. Diehl said the success of these models has paved the way for Ford to begin restructuring its manufacturing to produce more engines with the Eco-Boost feature — especially in smaller sizes to allow for small car models.

The Eco-Boost F-150 pickup earns 365 horsepower and produces 420 pound-feet of torque.

But all engine performance aside, Diehl said he can’t help but remember the words of his 9-year-old son when they first drove a 2011 crew cab F-150 off the lot in Bellingham.

“He stood up in the back and said, ‘There’s so much room in here, we can go camp in it,’” Diehl said.

And it was true, in the sense that the comfort of the truck just keeps getting better with each year, he said.

Email Mark Reimers at reporter@ lyndentribune.com.

Eco-Boost improves on an already-versatile F-150 truck. Owners can count on fewer compromises in towing capacity for the sake of outstanding comfort and efficiency. — Lynden Tribune | TIM NEWCOMB

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011 | Ferndale Record

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FALL DRIVE WHATCOM

Get ready for more driving in darkness Tires, windshield and lights need regular checks The days of fall and winter may be beautiful, but they’re also shorter. While you should practice caution when driving no matter the season, it’s important to take extra precautions this time of year to prepare yourself and your vehicle for nighttime driving.

As inclement weather descends upon us, Firestone Complete Auto Care provides the following tips: • Develop a habit to make sure your tires are properly inflated, rotated and in good condition.

• Be sure your lights and mirrors are clean and properly positioned. Incorrectly aimed headlights can temporarily blind other drivers and reduce your ability to see the road. Properly aligned mirrors also reduce blind spots.

• When in doubt, turn on your headlights. Even if they don’t help you see better, they’ll make it easier for other drivers to see you.

• Use high beams sparingly. Live in an area with high fog? It’s not a good idea to use your high beams. Instead, you

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should use only your low beam headlights, since high beams reduce your ability to see. Some newer vehicles even come equipped with special fog lights.

• Maintain your ability to see well.

Adjust your vehicle’s interior lighting if necessary. If streetlights cause a lot of glare, dim your dashboard lights and use your sun visor. Avoid using any other light inside your vehicle.

• Switch your rearview mirror to its night setting. By changing the angle of the reflective surface, the lights reflecting in your mirror will appear to be dimmed.

• Clean your windshield both inside and out. Keeping your windows clean — especially the windshield — is crucial to road safety. Wipe down your windows each time you wash your car, and refill wiper fluid regularly.

Whether it’s in the bright of day or dead of night, you should always take the necessary precautions to ensure that you’re driving safely and that your vehicle is road ready.

Night driving is made more difficult without proper maintenance. — Courtesy photo

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011 | Ferndale Record

FALL DRIVE WHATCOM

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Ensure smooth sailing with proper tire care A tire loses up to 50 percent of its air before it begins to show visually Don’t wait to check your tires until there’s nothing left between you and the rain-slick pavement. The likelihood of accidents skyrockets when combining wet, seasonal weather and poor tire maintenance.

Proper tire and pressure maintenance can prevent all kinds of road accidents, but drivers must be aware of the warning signs and ongoing maintenance needs to ensure driving safety. For example, an underinflated tire might not “look” flat to the eye. A tire can lose up to 50 percent of its air before it begins to show visually.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, tire pressure literally changes the way the rubber meets the road, affecting traction, handling, steering, stability and braking.

Similarly, NHTSA estimates that nearly 250,000 accidents occur in the U.S. per year due to low tire pressure.

Statistics like these remind drivers how quickly collisions occur under preventable circumstances. Schrader, a global manufacturer of sensing and valve solutions that protect and perform, recommends the following steps to keep your tires road-ready in all conditions: • Check your tire pressure regularly,

Air pressure affects the way the tire adheres to the road. Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems warn drivers of underinflated tires. — Courtesy photo

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especially before any long trips. Inflation pressure changes depending on the temperature. Tire pressure drops about 1 psi for every 10 degrees F drop in ambient temperature. Additionally, tires can lose as much as 1.5 psi per month as air escapes the tire and rim naturally. It’s best to check tire pressure when the car is off and tires are coolest.

• Heed the TPMS warning symbol. All passenger vehicles and light trucks sold in the U.S. from 2008 onward have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System installed.

If the warning symbol lights up on your dashboard, one or more of your tires is 25 percent or more underinflated — a significant loss in pressure. Take caution, and do not ignore the TPMS warning symbol.

• Find a safe place to pull out of traffic to stop and check your tires. If you are not having a blowout, use a tire gauge to check the pressure of each tire against your vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure level. Inflate tires to correct pressure at the nearest service station or repair facility. The recommended pressure level can be found on the tire placard, a label located just inside the driver’s side door.

• Don’t forget the spare. Before long drives, always check your spare for any injuries or punctures.

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2011 | Ferndale Record

FALL DRIVE WHATCOM

County planning commission discusses electric cars State law mandates local action regarding electric car charging stations near interstate highways Brent Lindquist Tribune reporter BELLINGHAM — The Whatcom County Planning Commission took a small step closer toward allowing electric vehicle infrastructure (EVI) within county borders Thursday night, but not without some heavy reservations expressed by most present.

Gary Davis, Whatcom County senior planner, introduced a model ordinance at the commission’s meeting at the Northwest Annex, outlining proposed changes to the zoning code to meet the requirements mandated by RCW 36.70A.695.

The 2009 state law requires jurisdictions adjacent to interstates such as I-5, with a population of more than 20,000 and located in a county with a population over 1,500,000, to “allow electric vehicle infrastructure as a use in all areas except those zoned for residential or resource use or critical areas,” according to the Washington State Legislature website. The law also applies to jurisdictions located in counties with populations greater than 600,000 or in counties with a state capitol located within their borders (in this case, Thurston County).

Davis spoke to the commission regarding the four different levels of electric car charging stations. A Level 1 station consists of a 110-volt charger, which takes 16 to 24 hours to fully charge an electric car. A Level 2 220-volt station takes four to six hours to charge, and a Level 3 480-volt station takes just 30 minutes to charge an electric car. Davis also spoke about battery exchange facilities, which use machines to swap spent batteries for new ones.

“The effect of this ordinance would be to allow all three levels as an accessory use in all three zones,” Davis said.

The ordinance was met with some heavy resistance, however. District 3 commissioner John Lesow of Point Roberts was first to speak up.

“I’m not in favor of electric cars, at least not as they’re presented here,” he said. “I think it’s an idea that has come and gone.”

Lesow and some of this fellow commissioners claimed that many electric cars on the market can only drive 40 miles on a single charge.

District 2 commissioner Gary Honcoop asked why the ordinance was even necessary when lower-level charges can already be achieved with a home outlet and an extension cord.

“I don’t see the purpose in doing this when you can already accomplish it,” Honcoop said.

Honcoop also questioned the safety of the Level 3 480-volt charging stations and the battery exchange stations, due to high voltage and the potentially hazardous nature of handling car batteries.

“I can’t see just allowing these to be just plopped into every zone,” he said.

District 1 commissioner David Onkels echoed Honcoop’s safety concerns.

“I have absolute faith in some member of the general public blowing something up,” Onkels said.

District 1 commissioner Ken Bell said passing an ordinance like this would be a premature gesture, as electric cars are not prevalent enough on the road to make these charging stations necessary.

“Why don’t we just zone personal landing pads for the jetpacks we’re all going to have?” Bell asked.

Other concerns voiced included the displacement of normal and handicapped

parking spaces and the fact that the mandate of the state law would not be in place if not for federal stimulus money.

However, Bell said the commission needed to make a motion in order to meet the law’s mandates. A motion was made to direct Davis and his staff to return at a later date with a new draft ordinance that excludes Level 3 charging stations and battery exchange stations and to allow Level 1 and Level 2 charging stations in all zones.

The motion passed, and Davis took the ordinance back to his office to change it. Following the meeting, he said he will have to bring a few concerns back to the

planning commission in order to ensure the new ordinance fully meets the requirements of RCW 36.70A.695.

“I looked again at the state law, and there are some things that I’m going to have to talk to the planning commissioners about,” Davis said. “There are some other things in there that we need to include that I’m not sure that we’re covering.”

Brad Banfield, in the newsroom of the Washington State Department of Licensing, said there are currently 63 electric vehicles registered in Whatcom County.

Email Brent Lindquist at sports@lyndentribune.com.

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