Pammy

Well its a 2006 and paid for so apart from the servicing isn't costing anything, I was planning on running it into the ground, when the next belt is due I'll get someone to do it, my OH Dodge is much easier to work on, the Mits is all computerized and enclosed, Crappy Tire would not even attempt the belt for me, I have a customer now who is the service manager there so I'll see if any of the boys do homers.

Oakvillian

I unearthed it from the garage a couple of weekends ago for a quick run to shake down and check all the relevant bits were still attached. This weekend it'll have a bit of TLC (oil change and grease/lube where appropriate - steering, front suspension, check the diff and gearbox fluids, etc) to get ready for the summer. The forecast here is for sunshine and mid-teens temperatures, so it's about time it saw the light of day.

rae

nice, hope you have a good one.

rae

there is a journeyman mechanic now operating his own business on the calgary trail north of the whitemud. if i think on i'll get his details for you, done work for others i work with and recommended as reliable and fairly priced.

dbd33

From the bill (summarized)

Service 198.00
Filters and fluids about 150.00

Determine brake caliper stuck 99.00
New caliper 259.87

Headlamp bulb 24.21
Installation 19.80

Rear light lens 39.08

Tot parts 475.11
Tot labour 316.80
Sales tax 103.47

The bill usually consists of 350 for the basic service, fifty bucks for a headlamp bulb and some other item for $300 or so. The latter varies.

Budgie1

One option I haven't seen suggested for a 7 seater SUV in your price range would be a 2004 - 2006 Suzuki XL-7 (effectively a stretched Grand Vitara), comes standard with switchable rwd/4wd.

Probably smaller in size then other suv suggestions so far.

redneckboy

The thing I don't understand in canada is why the lack of diesel SUV's?

Wouldn't towing a trailer with a petrol engine SUV be a tad thirsty?

Jingsamichty

It's the taxis I don't understand. I was in a taxi and he was moaning about the fuel he had to put into his vehicle every day. I don't know why a cab company run a fleet of, say, Mercedes diesel saloons.

redneckboy

I own a dodge nitro in the Uk, it has a 2.8l diesel engine. It gets around high 20's mpg

The irony is, the american built dodge is only for export in a diesel.

I doubt it would get much more than 10-12mpg under load with the 4.0l petrol engine.

Can't quite get my head around it.

Atlantic Xpat

I have an 05 XL7, albeit the 5 seat version. Happy so far with it but only owned it 2 weeks.

R I C H

Until relatively recently the availability of cleaner diesel that modern oil burning engines require just wasn't there - a lack of infrastructure to fuel vehicles appropriately means a lack of demand for those vehicles.

I recently made the decision to buy a gas SUV rather than it's diesel alternative - the price differential was ultimately too large to make the diesel a sensible economic choice. Servicing was more expensive for the diesel vehicle, and diesel fuel savings vs. mpg returns didn't make the option compelling enough.

WRT towing (the main reason I needed an SUV), the diesel torque was nice, but the turbo lag wasn't. The gas engine was ultimately more powerful, and torquier at low revs, so easier to get a large load rolling.

rae

Nightmare. Is it me or do vehicles cost more to run over here, don't remember ever spending this amount of time or cash on vehicles and I have owned 2 alfas!!

Havnfun

We have been gone from Calgary for over a year now but the best wings were always at Studio 52 on Heritage Drive (near the Heritage train station off of McLeod Trail). Many different flavours and 10 cents each on Saturday afternoons

lmartin999

Mmmm, Alfas....

I have owned over ten (though mostly in the UK and not one at the moment). You know they say you always come back....

Great cars.

My last two in the UK and one from Vancouver:

GavinR

Finally got the Lotus back up and running http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pax92...eature=channel