When buying a car in Canada, you have to expect you’ll be driving it in bad weather for the majority of the year, so you’d be remiss not to pay attention to how much traction is offered in the models you’re considering. Traction is critical because it determines how well your tires grip the road. When all 4 tires spin normally while you're driving, your car moves the way it should without any surprises. Good traction comes in handy during inclement weather, less-than-ideal road conditions, and when your car travels on dirt or gravel roads. Vehicles come in various configurations … [Read more...]
Jeremy Clarkson: A Maker or Breaker in the Automotive World
If you follow the car news - even if you don’t - you can’t have ever missed the name the world’s most famous car show presenter, Jeremy Clarkson. His influence measures in the millions of cars sold just because he deemed them beautiful, or unsold since he said they looked like a frog. (Sorry, Ford Ka.) Let’s see who the man is and what makes him so important. Jeremy Clarkson was born on April 11th, 1960 to entrepreneur parents. To raise money to pay for their children’s education, his parents made 2 Paddington Bear toys (one for each child) and sold it through their business. Mr. … [Read more...]
10 Most Cost-Effective Hybrid Cars
With the Carbon tax now in full effect throughout Canada, people are looking for new ways to minimize their carbon emissions - which was the Government’s intent in the first place. Among other things, this also means that they are changing their requirements and desires when buying cars. Criteria like car dependability and lifespan still play a big role in choosing the vehicle, but overall, we can see a big shift towards electric and hybrid vehicles being purchased more often. If you are looking to buy a car, and your main criterium is how dependable it is, the latest J.D. Power … [Read more...]
10 Reasons to Admire Canadian Auto Production (Infographic)
Before the signing of the 1965 Auto Pact by Canada and the US, American car companies were forced to produce Canadian-specific models in branch plants located largely in Ontario. But with America exporting most of the required components, Canada racked up big trade deficits due to the value of parts crossing the border. The Auto Pact abolished automobile-related tariffs between the 2 countries and, in exchange, the Big 3 automakers pledged that Canadian auto production would not fall below 1964 levels. Canada would produce a smaller variety of vehicles, but in greater numbers – many of which … [Read more...]
Car Depreciation: What Are the Risks?
When buying a car, you have to be prepared to lose money… Over time. No one wants to throw money away, and whether or not you will do that with car purchase is up to you and your negotiation skills and the amount of preparation you’ve invested prior to buying a car. But, one thing is for sure - cars tend to lose in value as time goes by and start as soon as you drive them off the dealer’s parking lot. New cars usually lose around 11% in value as soon as you take them off the dealer’s lot and by the end of the first year of driving, its value has decreased by 25%. However, the good news … [Read more...]
5 Biggest Automakers’ Plans with EVs
The rise in sales when it comes to electric vehicles is more than noticeable, but it seems that we are able to say that mostly because of Tesla Inc.’s coming out into the mainstream electric vehicle market. They are also responsible for the end-of-year surge which lead to the year 2018 closing with 2 million sales. The estimated result stands at 2,018,247, which is 72% more than a year ago at an average market share of 2.1%. Moreover, all-electric cars took 69% of sales, while PHEV 31%. Such a high advantage for BEVs has not been seen since 2011. Next year result is expected at 3-3.5 million … [Read more...]
5 Most Reliable Car Models
We can all agree that the most important thing in a car is that it gets you from point A to point B. However, when buying a car, one of the goals for most people is to choose one that will do that with the least amount of hassle. Another is that it does for as long as possible. In that sense, you can expand your car’s durability by maintaining it regularly and driving it reasonably, but why not get a head start by choosing a reliable vehicle to buy? Let’s see which 5 car models have earned the title RELIABLE. 1) Honda Civic The Honda Civic has a 2.0-liter base engine and a … [Read more...]
Why Do People Still Drive Cars They Bought 20 Years Ago?
There are 2 kinds of people in the world – those who like to change cars as soon as a newer model comes out and those who drive the same car their whole life. Which one are you? And is such behavior justified – in both cases? What do the old-timers have that brand new models don’t? And vice versa, are all the brand new cars really worth the hassle of getting them before anyone else has them? Or is it just a matter of quality and being set in your ways? Let’s examine! It’s thought – by some – that older cars are made of sturdier stuff. As the average lifespan of a vehicle in Canada is … [Read more...]
What Are the Total Costs of Vehicle Ownership per Brand?
Even if you’ve never bought a vehicle, you must know that owning it will cost you more than just the price you pay when making the actual purchase, right? In fact, as car owners must already know, when it comes to North America, besides a house, a car is the most expensive item for a family to own. But, does the brand you choose when buying a vehicle play a part in how much money you will need to pour into it over the course of your owning career? Stick with us to find out! There are 2 types of costs you need to take into account when it comes to owning a car – fixed (total purchase … [Read more...]
What Is the Lifespan of Your Car?
When buying a car one of the things plaguing your mind must be how long you will be driving it. Actually, we have a question for you. How do you even measure the lifespan of your vehicle? Do you count how many times you had to take it to your mechanic to fix a malfunction? Do you try to remember the date you made the purchase and calculate how many years you have been driving it? Or do you look at the mileage on your dashboard and draw the conclusion based on that? It is only natural that vehicle lifespan depends on multiple factors: 1) Manufacturer, 2) Class size, 3) … [Read more...]
