You: Spending More Time With Your Car Than A Date? Thursday, March 1, 2007 You: Spending More Time With Your Car Than A Date? (NAPSA)—According to a new survey, women are more likely to give up a date night for their cars than men. The survey, conducted by Ipsos, showed that 22 percent of women and 16 percent of men would rather spend an evening without their significant other than have to give up their vehicle for the samenight. The rapidly growing industry of vehicle customization and tuning hit an all-time record high of $36.7 billion last year, and is rapidly expanding from young adults to “boomertuners” and soccer moms who wantto personalize their minivans, SUVs and family vehicles. “With so many consumers spending countless hours in the garage washing, tuning and personalizing their vehicles, the gearheads at Dodge have created the Caliber SRT4, which comes with all the performance, power and styling of a one-of-a-kind, custom car,” said Ralph Gilles, vice president Jeep/Truck & CFM Design, Chrysler, LLC. “It comes packed with performance with 285 horsepower and a 0-60-mph acceleration time of less than 6 seconds, which means tuners and car enthusiasts can spend less time in the garage and more time out on the road enjoying theirride.” Are You in Tune with Tuning? Tuners and individuals interested in becoming tuners can easily customize, personalize and tune out their vehicles by following a few simple steps: Safety First—Due to the advanced computer systems in today’s vehicles, tuners should make sure that performance Putting the Grrrr in Garage—17 percent of men say the garage is their favorite place to spend time at home. parts and components, including tire size, etc., are compatible with their vehicle and its computer system before making installations. Tuner Taste—There are countless parts and accessories that tuners can buy to customize their vehicles. But before you begin making modifications, create a list of the things that are most important to you. * Keep an Eye on Costs— Tuning can be an expensive hobby. Before making any changes to your vehicle, make sure you know what the associated costs will be. All tuners should remember that customization is personal, and if you plan on selling your vehicle after you’ve made adjustments, you may not get a full return on your investment. How much time do Americans spend on tuning? The Dodge survey showed that Americans spend 18 billion hours a year tuning and maintaining their vehicles. To learn more about Dodge and the Caliber SRT4, visit www. Dodge.com. --- PHOTOS --- File: 20190730-123834-20190730-123831-73132.pdf.jpg --- FILES --- File: 20190730-123831-73132.pdf