Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Has anyone mentioned Land Rovers? I have a 12 year old Discovery 7 seater which I'm going to hate leaving over here - best car I've ever had. Can you get them there?

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

I believe Rae is a big fan and has been known to mention them once or twice.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

:rofl:

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

HEY what's wrong with the 135? The cheek of you. :p

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

The LR4 can be had here. Massively expensive and of course will still go wrong. 12 year old Discoveries in Canada have long been consigned to the scrap heap as franchised dealers won't want to deal with something that old and non-franchised land rover specialists in Canada are as rare as hens teeth

To be fair, it was a Range Rover that Rae particularly liked to talk about. Then he went a bit girly and bought a VW Tiquan.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

We have an FJ. Great for dogs as it's easy to clean inside. Back seat is pretty spacious, although a bit awkward to get into. No problems with us at all in the almost 3 years we've had it other than minor wear and tear.
.
Mileage not great, but not too bad either - quite a small tank though - costs about 50-60 bucks to fill it up, hubby's truck costs nearer 100.

Downside - visibility not the best (but you get used to it).

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Know the feeling...even now I go into withdrawal when think of my 'R' Reg maroon Discovery (Disco) TDI. Loved it...never gave me any problems and really regretted parting with it. Sold it to a mate so she went to a good home! He ran it for a few years before moving up to a Range Rover. Worst thing he ever done....with hind sight he would have kept the Disco. If he had I bet he would still be running it! Great mileage and the most reliable and versatile vehicle I have owned. I guess I got a good one....had to sell it in 2004 when I moved to Canada. Only real 'wrench' so to speak about emigrating. No Land Rover diesels here I am afraid. When I was shopping for a vehicle when I arrived here, first stop in Toronto was the Land Rover dealership. Alas, all they could offer me was a gas guzzling V8....thanks but no thanks....so I passed.

http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/x...600c/Disco.jpg

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

I got a Rav4, it's perfect for us and I intend to keep it until it falls apart.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Ditto...:thumbsup:

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

God its a bloody minefield - !!!

Tried the Scoobydoo Forester today -nice, looked in Kia but didnt like the salesmans attitude! Will try Honda and suzuki thurs or fri . . . am getting bored now . . .

Kiwi - hmm - didnt use the 135 tonight did ya eh? no, no nice warm little mazda :0)

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

That will please my local dealership enormously. It's the biggest in Canada and only opened a couple of years ago. It's got a gym, internet cafe, play area and all sorts of other stuff. It must have cost someone a fortune.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Test drive the V6 RAV4, I'd be very surprised if you didn't buy it.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

We did that one v the Santa Fe and it was only on price that I went for the Hyundai. If it wasn't for the couple of grand I think I would have gone for the Toyota, but the interior is nicer on the Santa Fe.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

I just clicked on their website and can see that the Santa Fe GL 2.4L Manual is going for $19,999 cash :eek: that is a steal for a brand new SUV.

http://hyundaicanada.com/Pages/Speci...romotions.aspx

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Don't shoot the messenger (or, if you must, shoot Edmonston).

I had a Mitsubishi Spacewagen when I was in Germany with two youngish kids and enjoyed it. I only sold because we were leaving.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

oooh ooh - am for a looksie!

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Actually for all my bravado about trucks i've been looking tentatively at discos. You can pick up an LR2 for around 11k and an LR3 for a bit more. I know they had suspension probs but i'm pretty sure that was the air suspension so if you can get one thats either had it replaced or not at all then you're relatively good to go.

This is of course all bull***t because I know naff all about cars, but the disco fits my needs perfectly and I like the look of them (and its my attempt at introducing some "Britishness" into my new Canadian family who will no doubt say "what the hells that pile of crap in the drive???") ;)

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

So your going to get one of those really naff Union Jacks for the front of the LR? OH just got one for the Jag, I did cringe when I saw it, at least he didn't pay for it though and no I will not have one on the Freelander when it's up and running.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

That will likely be the 2WD version no? A 2WD SUV seems a little pointless to me. All the poor handling dynamics of an SUV and no all weather/offroad ability. Offset by a small improvement in fuel economy. Might as well buy a minivan!


And: "Would you quit complaining about the thing always going wrong/the cost/poor availability of parts and that you shoulda bought something else. And no, you can't borrow my truck. Get your own vehicle fixed." ;)

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

The santa fe - yep 2 wd but manual - and big , , hmm

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Oh you've met him then????? :)

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Yeah but you live in Vancouver, when are you going to use 4WD :lol: maybe 2 or 3 times a year? Just buy some winter tyres and you'll be fine.

I live in Kamloops and my RAV has only ever kicked into AWD a few times in its life.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

As opposed to American cars and trucks of such notable quality. :rofl:
And did the Canadians ever have their own make of vehicles?

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

this is true - also the tuscon wont fit the dog box - but the santa fe is a monster - drive a mazda 3 at the mo!

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

FWIW, I just ordered a Santa Fe 2.4L manual last week and negotiated another $800 off that using the Car Cost Canada report. That was from OpenRoad Hyundai in Richmond, but the very next day Jim Pattison Hyundai in Coquitlam called and agreed the same price. The dealers are definitely open to offers in order to shift the 2010 stock, its worth calling around.

So $19,200 for a new 2010 Santa Fe 2.4L manual (MSRP $26k), then PDI and taxes on top brought it to about $24k total. Bluetooth and iPod connection included. :)

As others have said, AWD would be ideal but you have would have to pay nearly $10k more that on a Santa Fe. For Vancouver and Whistler trips, 2WD with good winter tires (not all-seasons!) will be ok.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

How much is a 2010 Dodge Caravan?

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

A quick glance at the Dodge.ca website gives a 2010 Grand Caravan in a specification delightfully entitled 'Canada value package' for $18999 + taxes.
I suspect I know where you are going with this..........

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

I rented one on the weekend, to move stuff. It seems to me that it's better in every way than a 2WD SUV. I think the SUV would have to be a lot cheaper than the van initially before it started to make sense.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

I'd fancy the long term reliability of the Hyundai over the Dodge, but for practicality a van makes more sense for sure.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Grrr - just drove to Kinsgway Metrotown (I hate that place) to look in the K=Jim Pattison Suzuki garage - website all lovely - tis bloody gone! BUT I did go in the Mitsubishi garage = I likey likey lurve the new outlander!!

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Wartburg vs. Skoda, innit?

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Hardly.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

No? Does one of them suddenly make quality cars?

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Yes, Skoda. Since they became part of the Volkswagen-Audi Group their quality has dramatically improved to the extend that a Skoda can be regarded as an audi without the penalty for badge cachet. (None of them are built in Mexico so, your beetle experience doesn't count ;))

Wartburg, not so much. To get back to Dodge vs. Hyundai, I suspect that Hyundai is better quality or at least you'll get a better quality of service from the dealer than you will from a Dodge stealership. It doesn't change the fact that a 2WD SUV is really nothing more than a less practical alternative to a minivan for the fashion concious. What the OP needs of course is a traditional Estate Car. Sadly, something that is a rarity in North America these days. (Think VW, Audi, Volvo, Mercedes. Nothing in the more cost sensitive end of the market place).

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Today I saw a traditional estate car. A Volvo. It moved slowly and settled into the right lane at the lights impeding people who wanted to turn right. The plate read "HRLY ONR", at first I wondered what the owner did hourly but then it came to me; you don't get much more wanky than dithering in Volvo wagon and blocking the traffic on a tractor. I assume the driver had facial hair but was unable to see.

Anyway, yes I know Skoda now make good cars but I can't believe that of
Hyundai, I've only ever pushed them and then gingerly in the hope that bits don't fall off. Cheap. Ugly. Impractical. And, IME, not really mobile.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Cheap and ugly, maybe. But impractical? I'm afraid not.

The Hyundais of 5-10 years ago were awful machines, but like Skoda, their new offerings are very good cars indeed. I'd choose a new Hyundai over a new Ford any day.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

If you will but Ford has served me well over the years. I'd be mildly interested to try driving a Hyundai, though the styling puts me off buying one, but I'm not interested enough to jump start it. Perhaps if it came to the door already running...

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Indeed. That is exactly what I would prefer to have, and if I were back in the UK I would be comparing Skoda vs VW vs Audi estates. Its a shame that over here, those cars are so much more expensive than a SUV.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Hyundai Quality and customer satisfaction is creeping towards the top of the heap, and is backed by one of the better warantees on the market. Cant say the same for Dodge.

A Subaru wagon used to be the best combination of practicality reliability and value on the market here, but new prices are pushing up into premium levels and they run the risk of pushing their long term customers away if they persist in this idea that they are a premium brand, Just because they are better engineered and more reliable than an Audi or VW doesnt mean you can charge Audi prices for them, the brand cache and interior finish is just not there to justify it.

Wagon and hatchbacks are not quite yet dead here, VW has reintroduced basically a station wagon, but its a premium brand over here sadly. The Hyundai Elantra Touring seems to be attracting a fair bit of interest as a practical and economic option. I cant ever see myself driving a minivan, so last time I had to get a car I chose to pick up a three year old Legacy Wagon and Im happy with the choice so far, although I realise in time its going to cost more that a domestic to repair, although hopefully less frequently.

Re: gaaaaaah -which Car
 

Anticipating a Novo / DBD road trip in Novo's new Hyundai Elantra Touring :) He's got a beard too :sneaky: