In response to R.D. of Oak Park (Letters/July 26), you said, ”And if man were meant to fly, Fiat would build an airplane.” Sorry to disappoint you, but during World War II, Fiat built at least two planes. Renault, another winner of a car company, also built a fighter. I`ve enclosed a photocopy from a U.S. Army aircraft recognition manual from April 1943 with details on the Fiat G-50 and the Fiat BR-20. You might appreciate the comment in the manual about the G-50. J.K., Harwood Heights
The manual says of the G-50, ”At the present time its use is much restricted. It has been reported to be difficult to maneuver and unstable.”
Perhaps the warning on the plane was a forewarning about the cars.
On a recent trip I noticed Iowa has started using a nifty-looking newly designed license plate-red with orange lettering; ditto with Colorado-red and white. I`ve had my Illinois plates for donkey`s years. Does the state have any plans to spiff up our plates? M.M., Lombard
Kim St. Aubin, spokeswoman for Illinois Secretary of State George Ryan`s office, said changing the design is costly and a decision was made that, in the current economic climate, it would be best to hold off on new plates. St. Aubin said it costs about $16 million over five years to come up with new plates. Most taxpayers probably are more concerned that Ryan focus on the green rather than red and orange.
An item in response to the photo of kids riding in the back of a pickup truck in your section noted that Illinois requires children to be secured in seat belts or child seats, which would make it not only unsafe but illegal to transport kids in the back of a truck. Are the school bus companies aware of this law?
W.S., Batavia
As long as we had St. Aubin on the line we asked her, and she said while there has been a lot of discussion over mandating seat belts in school buses, Illinois has no laws requiring them. One argument against belts has been the cost to install them; another has been how to get the kids to wear them; yet another has been that if the bus were involved in an accident and the belted driver was injured, he or she would be unable to help unbuckle the kids.
Over the years, Illinois Tool Works has worked with many inventors through royalty agreements. We`d appreciate it if G.Q. of Bridgeview, the man (letters/July 12) who wrote you about coming up with a new type of sideview mirror that eliminates blind spots, would contact us.
Frank Ptak,
executive vice president
Illinois Tool Works, Glenview
If G.Q. is still interested and willing to share royalties, we`re sure he`ll contact you.
How do I get a dealer to stop sending me circulars on service promotions? My dealer charged me a $95 documentary fee, and I will never deal with him again. I want their circulars stopped. H.R., Waukegan
When the circulars arrive, mark ”return to sender” on the them and slip them back into your mailbox. Or, slip the circular in an envelope, address it to the dealer, and slip it in a mail box-minus a stamp. After you estimate the dealer is out $95 in postage due, you can stop. As for that $95 DOC fee, you bought your car in 1989 before the Illinois Attorney General enacted rules requiring the so-called charge for paperwork to be negotiable and to be limited to a maximum of $40.
I purchased a new vehicle. The optional wheels I wanted were on another car on the lot, and the dealer said he`d swap wheels with that other car. In making the swap one of the wheels was scratched. I ended up with a cheaper set of wheels than what I wanted. After paying almost $20,000 on a new car, am I not entitled to receive the car without any dealership-inflicted defects?
R.A., Evanston
Yes. And if you had said, ”I`ll buy the car, but first you must swap wheels and let me inspect the car one more time before I pay you,” there might not have been a scratch and you might not have ended up an unhappy camper.
I`m seriously thinking of buying a Saturn SL1, but am wondering if a 1.9- liter engine will handle air. I know it won`t go 0 to 60 in 10 seconds and am just looking for basic transportation. What do you think? G.S., Chicago
Saturn offers two versions of the 1.9-liter four: an 85-h.p. single overhead cam in the SL and SL1, and a 124-h.p. twin overhead cam 16-valve in the SL2 and SC coupe.
Both handle air with no problem. Since you`re looking for basic transportation, the 85-h.p. 1.9 is rated at 26 m.p.g. city/35 m.p.g. highway with automatic, while the 124-h.p. 1.9 is rated 23/32.
To the reader who called: Yes, purchasing anti-lock brakes for a Mazda Miata is an expensive proposition. To get ABS for $900 you must purchase option package B for $2,040. Package B is power windows, cruise control, headrest speakers, power antenna, as well, as option package A: alloy wheels, AM/FM stereo with cassette, leather-wrapped steering wheel and power steering. So it takes $2,940 and eight other options to get the ABS you wanted. Not a bad deal-for Mazda.
