A taste of the true vancouver
Oct 19th 2007, 1:53 am
#106
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 1,201
Re: A taste of the true vancouver
Thanks for letting me know
Oct 19th 2007, 3:31 am
#107
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: The Vancouver Suburbs... for the next few years anyway!
Posts: 558
Re: A taste of the true vancouver
OK Croydonians.
We are nearly there. I have just come across another family of 4 on Brits2Vancouver who want to come so just waiting for them to confirm.
If I don't hear back from anyone saying that they can't now come (or are prefering to have meatballs at Ikea to reminise about the Purley Way) I'll confirm our table with Whitespot tomorrow (Friday 19th) at 12 noon.
So Basil and Sybil Fawlty are expecting:
4 x NMYW
2 x Live to Ski
1 x JonBoyE
1 x RobSki
4 x Mayfly
1 x missot
2 x TWs for a quick drink
We are nearly there. I have just come across another family of 4 on Brits2Vancouver who want to come so just waiting for them to confirm.
If I don't hear back from anyone saying that they can't now come (or are prefering to have meatballs at Ikea to reminise about the Purley Way) I'll confirm our table with Whitespot tomorrow (Friday 19th) at 12 noon.
So Basil and Sybil Fawlty are expecting:
4 x NMYW
2 x Live to Ski
1 x JonBoyE
1 x RobSki
4 x Mayfly
1 x missot
2 x TWs for a quick drink
emily
Oct 19th 2007, 3:37 am
#108
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Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Pemberton, B.C. :-)
Posts: 835
Re: A taste of the true vancouver
Oh, eeekkk. I am sorry, but i cannot make it eaither.
When i asked to be included i had totally fogotten that my parents would be here (they arrived yesterday), and i cant really abandon them, or take them on a 6 hr round trip for a dinner.
Sorry, hope the rest of you have a great time.
When i asked to be included i had totally fogotten that my parents would be here (they arrived yesterday), and i cant really abandon them, or take them on a 6 hr round trip for a dinner.
Sorry, hope the rest of you have a great time.
Oct 19th 2007, 3:20 pm
#110
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 36
Re: A taste of the true vancouver
Great - am looking forward to meeting you all B x
Oct 19th 2007, 9:42 pm
#111
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 1,201
Re: A taste of the true vancouver
So they are dropping like flies but Basil and Sybil Fawlty are now expecting:
4 x NMYW
2 x Live to Ski
1 x JonBoyE
1 x missot
missot - you'll just have to pretend that you're from Croydon!
see you all at 6.30
4 x NMYW
2 x Live to Ski
1 x JonBoyE
1 x missot
missot - you'll just have to pretend that you're from Croydon!
see you all at 6.30
Oct 20th 2007, 3:57 pm
#112
Binned by Muderators
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: White Rock BC
Posts: 11,682
Re: A taste of the true vancouver
It was very nice to meet you all. I hope we can do it again in July!
Oct 20th 2007, 5:47 pm
#113
Binned by Muderators
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: White Rock BC
Posts: 11,682
Re: A taste of the true vancouver
For missot, this is the website I was talking about: http://carcostcanada.com/1/en/default.asp
Some of the sub-compact cars available are:
Honda Fit
Nissan Versa
Toyota Yaris
Kia Rio
Hyundai Accent
VW Golf
Chevrolet Aveo
There are more.
A car price consists of the list price, delivery, extra costs they try to add on at the dealership (like documentation fees) and taxes. A car with a list price of $15,000 will cost something like $18,000 to drive away. There is not much you can do about delivery and taxes so the negotiation is about the list price. You can always negotiate something off the list price. The carcost reports will give an idea of how much, but it could be $1,000. You can also try and negotiate away the documentation fees as well, though if they give you a good discount on the list price this may be more difficult.
You will be able to get a better deal on a 2007 model year car than a 2008 - they are keen to get rid of the 2007s now.
The salesmen will be nice people to deal with, but they are expert negotiators, and they work in a tag team - the salesman who will talk to you, and a "manager" out back who gives the final say. Don't give them a credit card, just say you are interested in a cash price.
If you buy a car they will arrange for an ICBC representative to call the next day to arrange the insurance. Once you have the insurance you can drive away. Expect the insurance to be very expensive if you do not have proof of a UK no claims bonus.
Good luck.
Some of the sub-compact cars available are:
Honda Fit
Nissan Versa
Toyota Yaris
Kia Rio
Hyundai Accent
VW Golf
Chevrolet Aveo
There are more.
A car price consists of the list price, delivery, extra costs they try to add on at the dealership (like documentation fees) and taxes. A car with a list price of $15,000 will cost something like $18,000 to drive away. There is not much you can do about delivery and taxes so the negotiation is about the list price. You can always negotiate something off the list price. The carcost reports will give an idea of how much, but it could be $1,000. You can also try and negotiate away the documentation fees as well, though if they give you a good discount on the list price this may be more difficult.
You will be able to get a better deal on a 2007 model year car than a 2008 - they are keen to get rid of the 2007s now.
The salesmen will be nice people to deal with, but they are expert negotiators, and they work in a tag team - the salesman who will talk to you, and a "manager" out back who gives the final say. Don't give them a credit card, just say you are interested in a cash price.
If you buy a car they will arrange for an ICBC representative to call the next day to arrange the insurance. Once you have the insurance you can drive away. Expect the insurance to be very expensive if you do not have proof of a UK no claims bonus.
Good luck.
Oct 22nd 2007, 4:27 am
#114
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 1,201
Re: A taste of the true vancouver
Yes was great to meet you all too.
I can't believe that the Fawlty party spent more than 3 hours having just one course (and several pitchers) in WhiteSpot!
I can't believe that the Fawlty party spent more than 3 hours having just one course (and several pitchers) in WhiteSpot!
Oct 22nd 2007, 3:32 pm
#115
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: west midlands
Posts: 166
Re: A taste of the true vancouver
Hi
I ve been reading your link with interest. I am also a nurse, still here in England but in the process of coming to Vancouver BC, My agency have offered me a hospital in Chillawack. Have you any advice ? would love to here your own experiences in the process of moving and getting a job as a nurse. I m also called Jo and have a young family
I ve been reading your link with interest. I am also a nurse, still here in England but in the process of coming to Vancouver BC, My agency have offered me a hospital in Chillawack. Have you any advice ? would love to here your own experiences in the process of moving and getting a job as a nurse. I m also called Jo and have a young family
Oct 26th 2007, 4:20 am
#116
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5
Re: A taste of the true vancouver
I think BritishExpats has finally let me join the thread! Just a quick thankyou to everyone for organising last Friday's gathering, very enjoyable, great to talk and compare notes. If Missot still wants to see Kits and the Westside, do get in touch and we can meet up, but we think you'd be much happier living nearer work and avoiding the drive - after all, you didn't move here to spend hours in traffic jams. Hope the San Diego fires haven't disrupted nursemakeyouwell's final week's holiday. Looking forward to meeting you all again at future gatherings.
Oct 26th 2007, 9:00 am
#117
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: In the study at the top of our stairs
Posts: 40
Re: A taste of the true vancouver
Hi everyone! Well we have our reccie trip booked for October and we have 6 days and 7 nights to get a feel for the place and decide where we are going to live when we come next year!!
I'd love to hear your opinions, for those living in Vancouver, what things should we see and do while we are there that will give us a real flavour of living and working in Vanoucver. What will show us the real City and what it is like to be there. We will probably look at Tricities, maybe Burnaby and North Van. The latter looks nicest on photos, and is nearest to where I have a job offer (Lions gate Hospital), but is also the most expensive.
I'd value your suggestions for days out both touristy and not, places to eat, shop (for food as well as other stuff), estate agents, schools anything really
Thanks a bunch. I have another question to ask but this post is already too long
so I'll do it on a seperate one!
I'd love to hear your opinions, for those living in Vancouver, what things should we see and do while we are there that will give us a real flavour of living and working in Vanoucver. What will show us the real City and what it is like to be there. We will probably look at Tricities, maybe Burnaby and North Van. The latter looks nicest on photos, and is nearest to where I have a job offer (Lions gate Hospital), but is also the most expensive.
I'd value your suggestions for days out both touristy and not, places to eat, shop (for food as well as other stuff), estate agents, schools anything really
Thanks a bunch. I have another question to ask but this post is already too long
so I'll do it on a seperate one!Hi
Hope you have a great time
Best wishes
Rosie
Last edited by Hampshire rose; Oct 26th 2007 at 9:07 am.
Oct 28th 2007, 12:25 am
#118
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 1,201
Re: A taste of the true vancouver
Hi Laura
Glad they have finally allowed you on.
I hope the kids have forgiven you for their boring evening the other week!
Glad they have finally allowed you on.
I hope the kids have forgiven you for their boring evening the other week!
Oct 31st 2007, 1:17 pm
#119
trust me - I'm a nurse
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Tonbridge, Kent ,UK
Posts: 133
Re: A taste of the true vancouver
H all!!
Just a quickie to let you know we are back in the UK safe and sound as of this morning.
The fires in san diego were pretty bad, but didn't disrupt us too much, more to the point we felt guilty at evening considering the small inconveniences we suffered like stuff being shut, when people were losing everything they owned. It was awful, we drove past some of the devastation and it was like driving through a volcanic landscape all black and smoking ( we obviously went through when the fires were put out!)
Anyway, we have had an amazing trip, and it was so great to meet everyone who went to the vancouver meet up!!
We now have a lot of decision making and weighing up to do. We did find the food shoppin extremely expensive, probably because we were comparing it all to uk costs, and with the canadian dollar exchange rate not being in our favour this didn't help. We also picked a pretty wet week to visit, and were totally inappropriately dressed for it, especially in the footwear department. But the main problem for us was the high house prices. The commute from Port moody to North van, which ever way we did it, at whatever time, was horrendous, so we pretty much felt we had to look for a house in North Van to avoid this. But the prices were extremely high. We managed to look at some on the sunday before we left, which were extremely small, no garden at all for the dog, and very expensive.
On the plus side we loved how clean everything was, the people were amazing - so friendly welcoming and relaxed. Also the scenery, even in the relentless rain, was to die for. We were seriously impressed by the Canadian resolution to continue enjoying an outdoor way of life, even in the freezing cold pouring rain.
So we have a lot to think about over the next few weeks, but everyone's advice and friendship have helped enourmously. We'll keep you posted with how we are getting on, and once again, it was amazing to meet you all!!
Just a quickie to let you know we are back in the UK safe and sound as of this morning.
The fires in san diego were pretty bad, but didn't disrupt us too much, more to the point we felt guilty at evening considering the small inconveniences we suffered like stuff being shut, when people were losing everything they owned. It was awful, we drove past some of the devastation and it was like driving through a volcanic landscape all black and smoking ( we obviously went through when the fires were put out!)
Anyway, we have had an amazing trip, and it was so great to meet everyone who went to the vancouver meet up!!
We now have a lot of decision making and weighing up to do. We did find the food shoppin extremely expensive, probably because we were comparing it all to uk costs, and with the canadian dollar exchange rate not being in our favour this didn't help. We also picked a pretty wet week to visit, and were totally inappropriately dressed for it, especially in the footwear department. But the main problem for us was the high house prices. The commute from Port moody to North van, which ever way we did it, at whatever time, was horrendous, so we pretty much felt we had to look for a house in North Van to avoid this. But the prices were extremely high. We managed to look at some on the sunday before we left, which were extremely small, no garden at all for the dog, and very expensive.
On the plus side we loved how clean everything was, the people were amazing - so friendly welcoming and relaxed. Also the scenery, even in the relentless rain, was to die for. We were seriously impressed by the Canadian resolution to continue enjoying an outdoor way of life, even in the freezing cold pouring rain.
So we have a lot to think about over the next few weeks, but everyone's advice and friendship have helped enourmously. We'll keep you posted with how we are getting on, and once again, it was amazing to meet you all!!
Oct 31st 2007, 2:25 pm
#120
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 3,020
Re: A taste of the true vancouver
Have you considered renting? You'd probably be able to get something close to what you want if you did.