European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 12, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday december 12, 1994 automotive the stars and stripes Page 9 keeping windshields clean of Salt an grime will Cost More this Winter. The Supply of methanol the main ingredient in Washer fluids in t keeping up with demand an that s pushing prices up to about $1.50 a gallon More than double last year s. It s a problem for the consumer. They end up paying for everything in the end said Richard Dilcher of sales and marketing in Patterson laboratories inc., a solvent manufacturer in Detroit. The wholesale Price of methanol started shooting up Only in the last year. For a decade prices had held steady at 50 cents to 60 cents a gallon say Windshield cleaner manufacturers. Cul Mac industries a Wayne, company that is one of the nation s biggest producers of Washer fluid paid 50 cents a gallon for methanol last year. This year they re paying about $1.70 a gallon. One explanation is that a new government mandated mixture of anti smog gasoline uses methanol and has diverted some of the Supply. Others Point to a shutdown of a methanol Plant in Texas after an explosion in october. General motors corp. Will raises prices on three Oldsmobile models in next year s first Quarter an official said last week. Oldsmobile s general manager John d. Rock would t specify How much prices will be increase Don the new Aurora luxury Sedan the Cutlass supreme and the eighty eight Royale. The current base prices for those cars Are $31,995, $17,995,and $20,995, respectively. Rock also said that through nov.20, Oldsmobile sales were up 15 percent from last year. From the associated press Rema Violet Long awaited convertible is stylish but slow by Ann Marie Job the associated press it s about time. After some 15 years in its same Basic form the Volkswagen Cabriolet emerges redesigned for 1995. With a base Price of $19,975, the Cabriolet is a stylish fun looking efficiently packaged and yes practical four seater whose top just happens to be re movable. And its arrival could t be better timed although the car itself in t the speediest one around. Vow which saw . Sales plunge to49,546 last year could use a sales boost. The company had no 1994 Cabriolet Asit waited for the european built 1995 Model to arrive in the United states. In addition analysts say . Ragtop sales stimulated by new Model Oner Ings and renewed consumer spending Are rebounding this year after falling from their Peak of 209,000 in 1991. Based on the recently redesigned Vwg Olf platform the Cabriolet has More room inside than its predecessor offer ing 11 percent More Interior space than the upscale Bow 325i convertible vow indeed Given the compact appear Ance of the Cabriolet its rear seat leg room of 31.1 inches is surprising top Ping the Ford Mustang convertible s 3q.3 inches. The Mustang by the Way has a longer wheelbase and a longer Overall length. There s a Good amount of headroom in the vow too. In front the Cabriolet s 38.7 inches handily beat the Mazda Mia to s 37.1 inches while in Back the Cabriolet s 36.6 inches of headroom to the Mustang convertible s 35.4 inches. Unless you try to fit giants in the backseat the Cabriolet seating should be Volkswagen s Cabriolet emerges redesigned and roomier with a base Price of $19,975. Pretty close to adequate for two people. The Cabriolet s trunk is smaller than the Mustang convertible s 7.8 cubic feet is. 85. But the Cabriolet s rear setback folds Down for Long items offering some 15 cubic feet of total cargo space. And the leftover to get items in the trunk is. Low. The new Cabriolet s body is More rounded especially around the head lights when compared with the previous Model. There s a modern evolutionary sense in this car that moves it Forward while retaining some resemblance of its predecessor. The convertible top has six layers with a nicely done Felt like finish inside and a coated layer of Vinyl outside for durability. Unlike Many Ragtop which sport plastic rear windows the vow Hasa Glass Back window with defroster. Vow boasts that the roofs insulation prop erties Are so Good the convertible is truly All weather. Dropping and raising the top is a manual affair but Quick and easy. You release two levers and push the top Back and Down. A manual Boot covers it Al tidily. / the Cabriolet is the Only Ragtop Soldin the United states with a Standard fixed Roll bar behind the front seats. I provides rollover Protection and helps bolster torsional rigidity since converti Bles Are prone to shimmy and shake be cause they Don t have rigid roofs. The test Cabriolet showed the Roll bar plus reinforced floor dashboard and front and rear areas did a commendable Job at providing a sturdy ride. There is a considerable amount of engine noise and Road noise though. The engine a 2-liter, in line fuel injected four Cylinder has a less than impressive Peak horsepower of 115 at 5,400 revolutions per minute. Even the lighter weight Mazda Miata with a 1.8 liter our has More and Ford s Mustang convertible offers a 145-horsepower to or 215-horsepower v-8. Presidio sees funds leaving with 6th army by the san Francisco examiner san Francisco for the National Park serv ice the Pentagon s decision to disband the Presidio s6th army has a Silver lining such coveted base attractions As the Golf course swimming Pool Tennis court Sand gymnasium could soon be open to All. But inside the Silver lining is a Cloud without the6th army the new Presidio National Park will lose one third of its funding and finding the Money to maintain those attractions could be a chore. The Pentagon announced last week that the 6tharmy, whose Headquarters Are at the Presidio would be dissolved by september 1995. The move also will mean the loss of 167 military and civilian jobs and could accelerate demolition of buildings in the Park. The decision was announced three months after the army and the National Park service concluded months of often heated negotiations by agreeing that the 6tharmy would retain control Over such buildings As the officers club the Post Exchange the commissary and athletic facilities including the Golf course most Tennis courts gymnasium and swimming Pool. Rep. Nancy Pelosi d-calif., said the Golf course off Lim its to All but authorized personnel for 36 years would most Likely become Public 1999, the year the 6tharmy had agreed to Transfer it to civilian control. Brian o Neill superintendent of the Golden Gate National recreation area said his office already had pre pared for the possibility. V we have a prospectus ready to go out to potential concessionaires to manage it As a Public Golf course he said. Presidio chief planner Don Neubacher said the 6th army s departure was also a Chance to open All the Post recreational facilities to the Public. But swimming pools Tennis courts and gyms Don t have the Money making potential of a Golf course and Money is going to be a problem for the Park service. Presidio general manager Robert Chandler said the 6tharmy s departure would deprive the new National Park of $12 million a year a third of its planned budget. Don t be alarmed Pelosi said at a news conference thursday seeking to reassure the Public that the Presidio will still be a great magnificent National at the same time she admitted Well have to fight for Money to maintain it. Pelosi said she will plead with the Pentagon to rescind or modify its order. Failing that she said she intends to carry concerns to Congress. But the reception there could Bechill. Republicans succeeded in tabling a financing Bill in the last session that would have cleared a path for hundreds of millions of dollars to convert old army buildings and officer housing into research centers and the base into recreational resource area. The Pentagon said the 6th army is being disbanded As part of a reduction in the army from 540,000 to 495,000 sol Diers and from 12 Active divisions to 10, Reserve units of the 6th army will be moved under the control of the 5tharmy at fort Sam Houston in san Antonio. Is tribute by scrupps Howard Newt service 2 bodies found May be cuban refugees official says Panama City Panama a firefighters on saturday recovered two bodies believed to be among dozens of cuban refugees missing since they escaped from . Detention Camps during riots last week. The first body was discovered in the Panama canal about six Miles fro Nuevo Emperador one of four Camps for cuban refugees run by the United states. Everything indicates he was a Rafter Justice minister Raul Montenegro told the associated press. He is a Young Man tall White and wore an identification Bracelet cuban rafters Are made to said the victim and a Sec Ond Man 20 to 30 years old had yet to be 1,000 cuban refugees rioted wednesday and thursday in two Camps injuring More than 200 . Soldiers and several refugees. About 100 cubans escaped All but 31 returned voluntarily or were cubans who fled economic misery and repression in their Homeland were demanding to know where they will be sent. Most want to enter the unite states which has refused to let them in. Eight . Service members and 21 cd. Bans were still hospitalized . Southern come said about 2,000 american troops were being brought in to reinforce those guarding the Camps. About 8,500 cubans have been housed in the four Camps in Panama since september. More refugees May be coming to Panama from the Cayman islands. Officials of the tiny British territory said the United states had offered Shel Ter to As Many As 900 cubans who fled there. V
