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Click Here 49 °F Forecast | Road Cams Wednesday, February 18, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend January 31, 2004 Ken Moughty of Medford shows the OnStar button he pressed this week to win a new car while getting his oil changed at a local dealership. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Push a button, win a car! For one local man, along with 1,000 others across the country, it was just that easy By MARK FREEMAN Mail Tribune ASHLAND — While killing time during his pickup’s oil change Monday at Town and Country Chevrolet, Ken Moughty sauntered over to a Malibu parked in the showroom and hopped in. Play the contest, the salesman said. Push the blue OnStar button on the mirror and see if you win a new car. Moughty, a 35-year-old part-time dog trainer, then became one of 1,000 drivers across the country to win a new General Motors vehicle in the company’s OnStar sales promotion. "I kind of freaked out," Moughty said. "Everybody in there was reaching into the window, shaking my hand. Some took pictures. Advertisement "My legs were so wobbly, I didn’t even think I could get out of the car," he says. Moughty then waited until Friday to find out what he won, because Chevy is randomly matching winners to their new cars. It’s not a Hummer, a Cadillac Escalade or even the Malibu from the showroom. Moughty will receive a Chevy Aveo, a 1.6-liter, 103-horsepower hatchback valued at $12,840. "I think it’s awesome," Moughty said. "Apparently, they have quite a bit of pep." General Motors’ current sales promotion involves OnStar, a feature that is like calling well-informed friend for advice. Drivers can press a button that puts them in audio touch with someone who then looks up and answers questions ranging from where’s the nearest Chinese restaurant to how to get out of Dodge. One thousand dealers across the country are offering the promotion, and General Motors touts the odds of winning at 5,500 to 1. Carol Penner, advertising manager for Town and Country Chevrolet, said the Moughtys will receive their car within the next four months, and the dealership plans to make a little splash in a presentation ceremony when it gets here. Moughty will give the car to his wife, Leslie, as a replacement for her 1985 Saab with more than 250,000 miles on it. She’ll use it to commute two miles to Bear Creek Corp., where she works in the storage division, and shuffle the kids around town once they start a family, he said. "We wanted something practical, and this is practical," he said. The car has four doors, a hatchback, a compact disc player and satellite radio. "What’s kind of ironic," Moughty said, "is that it doesn’t have OnStar." Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times