Autonotes

Car auction gala in Hershey, Pa.

RM Auctions, the Antique Automobile Club of America and the AACA Museum are hosting a ‘50s-inspired “Night at the Museum” fundraising gala Friday in Hershey, Pa.

The second annual Vintage Motor Cars of Hershey auction is featuring approximately 100 vehicles.

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The location is the Hershey Lodge, West Chocolate Avenue and University Drive.

For ticket information, visit www.rmauctions.com on the Internet.

UPS show set Oct. 18 in Laurel

UPS will host its 8th Annual Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show Oct. 18 at the Laurel, Md., facility from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The rain date is Oct. 19.

Registration, costing $25, begins at 8 a.m. for the event, which benefits the United Way. General admission is $2 per person, but it is free for children under 12.

Awards will be presented in categories including classics, hot rods, race cars, muscle cars, trucks, foreign, motorcycles, special interest and projects.

In addition to judging beginning at noon, there will be a Halloween costume contest, food, a magic show, carnival games, crafts, and vendors. Award presentations will begin at 4 p.m.

The UPS facility is located at 14841 Sweitzer Lane in Laurel.

For more information, call Jim Lanham at 301/604-4579 or 301/390-9085.

Rockville slates annual car show

The 2008 Rockville Antique & Classic Car Show is scheduled Oct. 18 at the Glenview Mansion in the civic center park. The rain date is Oct. 25.

Admission is free for the event, which opens to spectators at 11 a.m.

Registration, which costs $15, begins at 8:30 a.m.

People’s choice voting ends at 2 p.m. and award presentations are from 2:45 to 4 p.m.

In addition to judging, there will be a Rockville Concert Band performance (12:30 p.m.) and flea market and automobile sales.

For more information, call 240/314-5022 or visit www.rockvillemd.gov/events on the Internet.

K of C show planned Oct. 19 in Arlington

An annual car show hosted by the Knights of Columbus will be held Oct. 19 in Arlington for the benefit of the Children’s Inn at NIH.

The event will be held rain or shine with a $10 entry fee. The hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 5115 Little Falls Road.

For more information, call John Thompson at 540/222-5517 or visit www.kofcedw24 73.org.

Corvette club plans Oct. 19 cruise-in

The Frederick County Corvette Club is hosting a cruise-in for all makes and models Oct. 19 from noon to 3 p.m.

There will be trophies for first, second and third places in the judging and dash plaques for the first 25 vehicles.

The rain date is Nov. 2. In addition to the judging, there will be a 50-50 drawing and food available at a nearby eatery.

The event will be held at the PNC Bank parking lot, East Patrick Street and Monocracy Boulevard in Frederick, Md., which is Exit 56 off Interstate 70.

Gas mileage vital to U.S. car buyers

A J.D. Power study has found that consumers are giving more weight to gas mileage when purchasing a car.

So a growing number of car shoppers are considering an Asian brand first and fewer are considering buying a domestic brand.

Almost 20 percent of new buyers surveyed recently cited inadequate gas mileage as a reason for not buying a specific model - up from almost 17 percent a year ago, the survey found, and shoppers are shying away from larger vehicles in growing numbers.

Three-year-old cars offer big savings

Buying a three-year-old Toyota Camry can save $13,000 over a five-year period.

A new Consumer Reports study of owner costs shows that choosing a reliable three-year-old car instead of a new one can save drivers thousands of dollars over the first five years.

In many instances, that’s enough to pay for all the gas used during that time.

With relatively low mileage, modern safety and convenience features, and usually a much lower price than similar new vehicles, late-model used cars are the real auto deals.

Hyundai goes hybrid with 2010 model

Hyundai is a latecomer to the hybrid vehicle competition, but the Korean automaker is setting high targets for the technology, according to Automotive News.

Hyundai is scheduled to sell its first U.S. hybrid, a version of its mid-sized Sonata sedan, in 2010.

Initial annual volume is expected to be around 50,000 units.

• Mail items of interest to AutoNotes, care of Bill O’Brien, The Washington Times Copy Desk, 3600 New York Ave. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002, or send an e-mail to bobrien @washingtontimes.com.