JBJ14

Hi all

Just trying to do some research on cars in Calgary. Considering the ice/snow factor, does anyone have recommendations on family vehicles that handle well on the winter roads (assuming I put the correct tyres on .... I mean tires). Will probably get a new car (or one thats a couple years old).

Also car seats for my kids (4 & 6 years old), just need the top brands for safety if you know of them. I want to buy them and send them to my family in Calgary for when I get there, so I don't have to rent them off the car hire company for $100 each.

Thanks

Wayne

lucycrow

Hi Wayne

Not sure about older kids car seats as mine sons only 2 and 18 months but Britax is top brand here and also Graco/Safety First.

Here's the link to the place we bought our car seat in Toronto and has lots of info on car seats and safety:

http://www.kiddieproofers.com/

Also have a look on craigslist for 2nd hand ones although $100 isn't probably that much for car seats as know ours were over $250.

Hope this helps

Lucy

Almost Canadian

Any car will do. I'd suggest a minivan but I know others will disagree.

Jingsamichty

One of our vehicles in Calgary was a minivan. It was the most useful vehicle we have ever owned.

iaink

Nowadays the car doesnt really matter once you get winter tires. Ive a Subaru Legacy (AWD) and a Honda Civic, and although you would think the legacy the better to handle the worst of the winter, with good tires the Civic is never a problem. Its also cheaper to run too. Id steer clear of more powerful RWD offerings though (Mustangs, BMWs etc)

Car seats are car seats. Finding one that fits well in your vehicle is more important than brand I suspect although the LATCH system is standard now anyway.

6 year old will just need only a booster anyway at a guess, and with a 4 year old one that converts into a booster is probably the best bet.

We used these...
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows....jsp?locale=en

They were fine.


Vans are fine if you dont mind the extra gas and terrible driving experience. Ideal if you have lots of people or stuff to transport though. Personally I prefer my sportier station wagon. Just a shame Subaru dropped the Legacy Wagon from the line up

Im the first to admit Im a cheapskate, but two things I would never buy off Kijiji to save a few bucks are helmets and car seats, if you dont know the history they might be compromised.

Hawk13

Ah, remember the days when we didn't have to wear seatbelts or when you could ride in back of dad's truck with your friends with all your hockey gear going to the rink.

But I digress, all the kids seats in Canada are safe, unless they are under recall.

For a car, I'd say an all wheel drive Subaru Impreza and if you want to have some fun while you drive, test drive the WRX STI

The death of men - succumbing to a minivan

iaink

Much as Id love a WRX / STi, there probably isnt enough room in the back for growing kids for it to be a long term winner. Might be OK while they are 4 and 6, but in 4 years time a ten year old will be kicking the driver in the back all the time...

Also, in the interest of balance I shoudl point out that AWD is great for getting you going, but does bugger all to help you stop, so the end result is sometimes it lulls you into going a bit faster than is probably safe for the conditions.

Jingsamichty

I am more than comfortable enough in my masculinity not to have it threatened by the type of car I drive...

Almost Canadian

When compared to what (gas)? Who the hell drives a family vehicle for the impressive road handling? We are taking about North America. Lands of the perfectly straight roads for mile upon mile. It's not like one wishes to take hairpins at great speed like one is James Bond

I agree with Jingamichty. I found the one we had to be one of the most useful vehicles we have ever owned. We would still have it if it was capable of pulling what we need to pull.

Hawk13

Nothing to do masculinity or a perception thereof. I hear it a lot about how "useful" they are but I still enjoy driving and a minivan just doesn't cut it. I guess it's like enjoying the comfort of an automatic vs driving a stick.

I raised two very athletic teenage girls, coached their soccer (football), went to dance competitions with bags of outfits and never had an issue with room or usefulness in the cars I've owned. And when they weren't with me, I could enjoy driving.

I get the minivan thing - to each their own though.

iaink

My daily drive doesnt have much in the way of straight lines fortunately.

I get 7l/100km out of the civic and about 9 out of the Subaru. What I save on gas getting 30mpg compared to driving a 3 or 4 litre engined van and getting 20 mpg can be spent on other more important priorities, not to mention the environmental aspects, so from my perspective, with 2 kids I dont see the point of owning a van and paying the extra to run it all the time. YMMV.

Plus, although I only spend 20 minutes or half an hour at a time on my commute I like to feel like the steering wheel is actually connected to something and not just there to hold onto in case of an accident, and none of the vans Ive driven ever gave me any pleasure to drive Im afraid.

Almost Canadian

I accept all that you are saying. We had a Dodge Grand Caravan. It did significantly better than 20 mpg and I would not drive a significant distance in a vehicle with such crappy mileage. I get more than that out of my Yukon.

I accept that, it would appear, many posters on here "require" a car with "performance". There was time in my life when I felt the same way; I don't anymore.

jericho

My kids are 5 & & now, but as soon as they hit 40lbs, we got them in to booster seats. $10 each from Walmart.

Geordie Lass

We have a CX5 and apart from the fact that it isn't a bullet like the S line A3 we had in the UK it's very good and solid so far. The winter tires make a big difference. It has 5 NCAP stars so that wins extra points from me. It has a ton of safety features and the brakes are superb.

We get about 700km to the tank too. Always a bonus when you first land and are spending money like water

HTH.

JBJ14

Awesome, thanks for the replies and info everyone.
Gives me some areas to research.

I hear people not putting winter tires on, but putting all seasons on, surely you're better off with winter ones?