Running a car in Canada
Discussion
Hey all,
Not decided yet, but I'm looking at cars in Canada (I am over on a work permit for 3 years) and just umming and arring.
I was wondering how people tended to get them over here? I had a £1500 Focus in the UK which I paid cash for but leasing deals for certain cars here seem REALLY cheap! I was just wondering what the most common and most efficient way was to buy over here and what brands are good, popular etc.
I quite like the Jeeps, but are they hairdresser mobiles?
Not decided yet, but I'm looking at cars in Canada (I am over on a work permit for 3 years) and just umming and arring.
I was wondering how people tended to get them over here? I had a £1500 Focus in the UK which I paid cash for but leasing deals for certain cars here seem REALLY cheap! I was just wondering what the most common and most efficient way was to buy over here and what brands are good, popular etc.
I quite like the Jeeps, but are they hairdresser mobiles?
I think the choice of vehicle depends on where you live and what your hobbies are.
Just remember that right now Canada is wonderfully warm but in November it will be cold. And that will last until at least April. And there will be a lot of snow to contend with.
That still allows you to buy pretty much whatever your heart tells you to but just make sure it is equipped for winter driving because your year will consist of a lot of winter driving.
Just remember that right now Canada is wonderfully warm but in November it will be cold. And that will last until at least April. And there will be a lot of snow to contend with.
That still allows you to buy pretty much whatever your heart tells you to but just make sure it is equipped for winter driving because your year will consist of a lot of winter driving.
+1 to what Gavin said.
Disclaimer, this is all on my experience in Alberta, if you are out east your experience may vary.
Get winter tyres. Heated seats are a look-for too. I'm in Calgary, and whilst we have a heated parking spot (you did get a covered heated spot right?) in our apartment building my wife found especially hard in our car which had been left outside her place of work for 8 hours each day. Whilst all cars have engine heaters, it's only the real beaters which are ever plugged in. Our lovely Hyundai never needed plugged in, even in -30C temperatures. With winter tyres, RWD cars are fine, a colleague drives a 330i RWD on winters and has no bother.
Disclaimer, this is all on my experience in Alberta, if you are out east your experience may vary.
Get winter tyres. Heated seats are a look-for too. I'm in Calgary, and whilst we have a heated parking spot (you did get a covered heated spot right?) in our apartment building my wife found especially hard in our car which had been left outside her place of work for 8 hours each day. Whilst all cars have engine heaters, it's only the real beaters which are ever plugged in. Our lovely Hyundai never needed plugged in, even in -30C temperatures. With winter tyres, RWD cars are fine, a colleague drives a 330i RWD on winters and has no bother.
I ran a 98 xj cherokee in manitoba for a couple of winters - never let me down, only occasionally plugged in and always outside - usually had snow inside from november till april. I loved that truck. Cost 5k, sold for 3.5k (needed quick sale) insurance 1.5k per year
rented a nitro from the local dodge dealer the first winter which was ok and included insurance which is expensive compared to the UK.
Had no car for 6 months or so as I could cycle/walk to work, we tended to rent whatever the local rental agent had for long weekends (thurs-tues) usually about 100 bucks a time when needed for supermarket runs/trips out of the city etc.
You may run into issues with credit ratings for leases, but i dont know that for sure
rented a nitro from the local dodge dealer the first winter which was ok and included insurance which is expensive compared to the UK.
Had no car for 6 months or so as I could cycle/walk to work, we tended to rent whatever the local rental agent had for long weekends (thurs-tues) usually about 100 bucks a time when needed for supermarket runs/trips out of the city etc.
You may run into issues with credit ratings for leases, but i dont know that for sure
Yup, they are comparatively more expensive than the equivalent in the UK. It's a bummer coming in fresh off the boat with no credit history - that makes getting a lease car difficult. I've heard that getting insurance can be hard/expensive too. Not that it's quite right for you, but my year's stint here I had a long term rental which worked out at $600 a month.
T84 said:
Hey all,
Not decided yet, but I'm looking at cars in Canada (I am over on a work permit for 3 years) and just umming and arring.
I was wondering how people tended to get them over here? I had a £1500 Focus in the UK which I paid cash for but leasing deals for certain cars here seem REALLY cheap! I was just wondering what the most common and most efficient way was to buy over here and what brands are good, popular etc.
I quite like the Jeeps, but are they hairdresser mobiles?
Not decided yet, but I'm looking at cars in Canada (I am over on a work permit for 3 years) and just umming and arring.
I was wondering how people tended to get them over here? I had a £1500 Focus in the UK which I paid cash for but leasing deals for certain cars here seem REALLY cheap! I was just wondering what the most common and most efficient way was to buy over here and what brands are good, popular etc.
I quite like the Jeeps, but are they hairdresser mobiles?
The first thing is not to use the expression "hairdresser" car. Unless you are in one of the Prairie provinces, it's use can create sad problems for you, especially in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.Jeeps are a staple in rural areas as 4x4s are the only way to get home in many parts of Canada during the winter. Even the school bus that picked up our kids each morning was a 4x4 Suburban.
Cars cost more because of Canadian automobile legislation, which makes the average CDN vehicles far heartier and longer lasting than vehicles in other countries. (Canada has minimum endurance rust proofing legislation.) On price, the way it works is that vehicles (even if made in Canada and shipped to the US and Canada) are priced 23% higher north of the border. This is a cute tradition that has withstood the free trade agreements (NAFTA) the US government signs with us.
4x4s in urban areas are an affectation. After all, it doesn't matter how good your traction if everyone else within inches doesn't have it. In some provinces, winter tyres are now mandatory during the winter months. Great idea that has worked well. Ask about the two sets of tyres when you buy.
The cars with the highest resale are Japanese..but there are expensive. Look seriously at AWD which is not 4x4 but does better than 2x4.
T84 said:
Thanks! I was looking at Saab 9-7x's as well!
What's wrong with the hairdresser expression over here?
Also, I'm in Montreal, so I best not use it!
I live in the La Belle Province as well!...but in the mountains north of you. We keep a car in the West Midlands and split our lives between Europe and Canada. Over many years we have learned that there are always subtle cultural differences. What's wrong with the hairdresser expression over here?
Also, I'm in Montreal, so I best not use it!
Most Canadian would not understand the expression."hairdresser car". (My wife and I didn't the first few times we heard it in the UK.) But those that might understand it will be offended or mystified, thinking it homophobic. You will think you are casually describing a vehicle and they will think you are revealing a ...er... side of yourself.
In Canada, don't look at the car first, look at the guarantee and the support network. Unless you are looking for a pass-time along with transportation. (Not many Saab dealers.) Leases can kill you if you do over what will turn out to be very limited mileage. 30-50k kms annually is not unusual.
Edited by plushuit on Friday 5th August 03:42
As Lorne said try to negotiate a set of winter tires when you buy, although if you are buying a snotter there may not be much profit for the dealer to play with.
One of the benefits of buying something north american is that fixing it will be easier. Although something oriental may not need fixing. I wouldnt get too hung up on 4x4 or awd, I ran a jeep cherokee with AT tires through 2 winnipeg winters and only occasionally engaged the 4x4. That said the peg is colder than montreal and doesnt tend to suffer many freeze thaw freeze cycles which seems to create accidents and wrecks
One of the benefits of buying something north american is that fixing it will be easier. Although something oriental may not need fixing. I wouldnt get too hung up on 4x4 or awd, I ran a jeep cherokee with AT tires through 2 winnipeg winters and only occasionally engaged the 4x4. That said the peg is colder than montreal and doesnt tend to suffer many freeze thaw freeze cycles which seems to create accidents and wrecks
sawman said:
As Lorne said try to negotiate a set of winter tires when you buy, although if you are buying a snotter there may not be much profit for the dealer to play with.
One of the benefits of buying something north american is that fixing it will be easier. Although something oriental may not need fixing. I wouldnt get too hung up on 4x4 or awd, I ran a jeep cherokee with AT tires through 2 winnipeg winters and only occasionally engaged the 4x4. That said the peg is colder than montreal and doesnt tend to suffer many freeze thaw freeze cycles which seems to create accidents and wrecks
Winter tires are now mandatory by law (from December 15 to March 15) throughout the Province of Quebec. Don't have them..don't drive. No complaints..I live in the mountains and always have had winter and summer sets. In my area, we are allowed to have carbon studded tires for the winter (4x4s with winter tires can't stop quickly without them). The new law has quickly lowered winter deaths by 5% (and climbing) and property damage by more. 38% more accidents occur with at least one vehicle involved using all season tires.One of the benefits of buying something north american is that fixing it will be easier. Although something oriental may not need fixing. I wouldnt get too hung up on 4x4 or awd, I ran a jeep cherokee with AT tires through 2 winnipeg winters and only occasionally engaged the 4x4. That said the peg is colder than montreal and doesnt tend to suffer many freeze thaw freeze cycles which seems to create accidents and wrecks
Remember, Montreal and Quebec City have streets in many areas like San Francisco's, except with ice and snow on them. Winnipeg's topography is much calmer.
plushuit said:
Jeeps are a staple in rural areas as 4x4s are the only way to get home in many parts of Canada during the winter. Even the school bus that picked up our kids each morning was a 4x4 Suburban.
Kinda, might be different out east but for certain I know folks in the Rockies and over in the middle of Saskatchewan who do with out 4x4s for the winter - opting for Chevy Cavaliers, Merc E-class (not the 4matic) and a Chevy Malibu. Winter tyres for sure on all of them. But 4x4s aren't de riguer by any means over here. There's a guy in the office here drives his soft-top BMW (presumably with the hood up ) throughout our winter on winters. In my experience, there's no more or no less SUVs here in Calgary than there was when in I lived in Dallas, TX.plushuit said:
Cars cost more because of Canadian automobile legislation, which makes the average CDN vehicles far heartier and longer lasting than vehicles in other countries. (Canada has minimum endurance rust proofing legislation.) On price, the way it works is that vehicles (even if made in Canada and shipped to the US and Canada) are priced 23% higher north of the border. This is a cute tradition that has withstood the free trade agreements (NAFTA) the US government signs with us.
Really? Just done a check between the US and Canadian websites for Ford and Chevrolet, and whilst the Canadian prices are higher, it's no where near 23%.T84 said:
Check first if you can get credit, or get the credit underwritten by your employer. I looked at taking a lease car through the dealer that my company gets their field trucks from, and whilst they would accept me because of my employer, the term was too long for my stay.Looks like a healthy amount of kms remaining, you will rack up a higher mileage/kilometerage? than in the UK. It's a fecking big country
. Think we did about 30K-35K in our year here.downthepub said:
Really? Just done a check between the US and Canadian websites for Ford and Chevrolet, and whilst the Canadian prices are higher, it's no where near 23%.
Yes really. I don't know what web ads you checked... but this is easier. Simply click http://tinyurl.com/3elvt3g You can also google MANY more including consumer stats.
The CDN government makes it easy to buy cars in the US. But US manufacturers, protecting their windfall Canadian profit premiums, will often cancel a dealership if there is a rash of Canadian resident sales. They will also refuse to honor warranties in Canada if a US bought car is registered in Canada.
Cars made in Canada and purchased outside the very plant cost Canadians markedly more than the same vehicle when shipped to and sold in the US. This is a tradition in good times and bad. On that point the G&M don't know what they are talking about. The price fixing is also a general trend. Here is a report from the US side. http://tinyurl.com/3kbky7n
The answer as to why is simple. We are treated like a US colony..at least by the US. They may think we are adorable, but that doesn't stop them from gouging wherever they can, and we now have leaders that allow it.
L.
Edited by plushuit on Saturday 6th August 16:52
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