hpka

This is kinds of one of those "What did you do" threads...

I've just landed on a BUNAC visa... I have bearly any money, a decent job but that has to cover everything.

So far I'm managing without a car, but I'm shopping for one. And that kind of leads me to this open thread.

Would like: 07+ Mitsubishi Lancer - not the Evo but speced up
Reality: Junker

What were your first cars in Canada when you landed?

(possibly include a little about your situation at the time)

iaink

Arrived here on a work permit. Leased a brand new Jeep Cherokee for 30months for $420 a month, and had to put down $2k as a security deposit as a recent arrival for the privilege.


What I should have done is spend the $2k on a well used domestic beater, although I guess the lease helped my credit rating.

el_richo

Hiya Iain,

Any recommendations for a Lease company?

Edited to add: What are these companies like who do you a deal to take over a lease from somebody?

http://www.leaseexperts.ca/results.a...Location&pn=15

iaink

Not really...My Jeep was done through Chrysler finance, so thats not an option now...

Anyway, thread moved from immigration....


Problem with taking over a lease seems to be the credit check requirements... not many new immigrants make it past that hurdle.

dbd33

1973 Oldsmobile 88 Regency Brougham. Something like this:

http://www.avonhill.com/thumbnails/s..._Delta_88.jpeg

It was half a block in length but the front seat was stuck in the extreme forward position so knees and elbows had to meet when driving. It did 8mpg, 4 if you turned the air conditioning on.

Keith

We came in 1963 and bought a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air for $650. Didn't cost too much in maintenance and replaced it in 1965 with a 1961 Plymouth Belvedere.
I now have a 2008 Toyota Yaris.

Partially discharged

Ah, the joys of 70's cars..they were truly awful...not that UK versions were much better.

dbd33

It may have been awful but it was an experience, it was allegedly parking that car on the grass that got me fired after 14 weeks in the country. It was also transport for, iirc, $800.

Aviator

Got an older smaller car to go to and from work and leave at the airport and a newer one for the OH to use. Never bought a new car, I try and get a recent used one with a few thousand clicks on it and let someone else take the depreciation hit from new.

Leasing is great for business as it can be more tax efficient. For private buyers the only advantage is being able to buy a car you can't afford.

Simon Legree

I had a '68 Dodge Monaco convertible. Primrose yellow with a white leather interior and white top. Like this. A great chick magnet ! In those days I had no trouble getting financing or insurance and gas was 38 cents an imperial gallon !

Cyan

When I came in 2000, I was shocked by the lack of hatchback models. Things have definitely improved since then, and the market is looking more Euro-esque day by day.

One of things I noticed in my purchase decision, is that I didn't have a lot of time to be choosy. You're in a new country and you need a set of wheels asap. No time for Top Gear / JD Powers Ph.D research analysis into brands, performance, cost to value ratio etc. In the end I got a 99 Nissan Altima as this was the closet I could get psychologically to the Nissan Primera I had in England.

Paul5455

anyone have a rough price for a nissan 350z on a lease?
in the calgary area?!

lmartin999

When I moved to Vancouver in 1999 I had just split up from my first wife so figured I could buy something I really wanted.

So, I bought a 1988 Jaguar Series 3 XJ12

Nearly caused my second wife to leave me. Not the cheapest car to run.

Mind you I still miss it, there is nothing like a V12 engine and lots of leather and wood

Just bought a car in Toronto. What a nightmare finding something cheap, nice and interesting. Finally got a lovely 1993 Honda Del Sol. Genuine one lady owner and FSH from new. Great price and cheap to insure. Totally impractical from now until next June of course!

iaink

I dont think thats necessarily true, sites like Canadian driver have used vehicle reviews to highlite potential trouble spots, and there are many other internet resources you can utilise before arriving now to narrow your choices in advance. Personally I think it prudent to rent a car for a week or two for the few hundred bucks it will cost you rather than rush into a multi thousand dollar purchase right away that you might regret later on.

Novocastrian

Oooh, I had one of them as well. '57 Bel Air Wagon, bought in about 1979 for $100 US. Nice.

But my first NA car was a 1971 Olds Cutlass Supreme, bought in 1977 for $1000 US and run without major difficulty until 1982. I have fond memories of screaming down the desert highways at 100+ mph with Hotel California on the 8-track and a six pack between us on the front seat.