When Debbie Bruce decided to get a personalized license plate in 2002 and chose DEB ACLE, she had no idea it would coincide with an Olympic skating scandal. Debbie, who lives in Mississauga, Ontario, thought a personalized license plate would be fun to go with her Purple Dodge Neon she was driving at the time. “I’ve always been a car person,” Debbie told me. “My dad had a Studebaker. I have a picture of him holding me in front of it when I was a baby. He also had a 1964 Ford Galaxy 500 candy apple red with a 352 engine. I’ve always loved cars.” When she decided to get plate with a nam ..read more

Bob, who will be a regular contributor to The Car Magazine, has been in the business more than 30 years selling cars and in a variety of other business roles.  He entered into the business, following his father and three uncles who worked for Chrysler Canada in Windsor. Bob became the automotive equivalent of an Army brat because Chrysler transferred his father throughout the country in various jobs. His father moved back to Windsor when Bob was in the 11th grade. He was 6-foot-7 and starred for his school in basketball and then took his talents to St. Mary’s University ..read more

We’ve previously discovered that the monthly payments for a 48-month lease and an 84-month loan are quite similar for most popular vehicles. However, you might still wonder why lease payments can sometimes be significantly lower than finance payments, while other times the payments can be nearly identical for the same vehicle just a few months later. This intriguing fluctuation in costs raises important questions for savvy car buyers. There are several reasons for these fluctuations and new car buyers that are conducting their vehicle research as well as deciding whether to lease or finance ..read more

Tim Hauraney is living the life doing Formula One and IndyCar analysis for TSN (The Sports Network) after pursuing his dream as a professional race car driver. From beginning in the Ontario Formula Ford Championship, he moved up the ranks to the Canadian Formula Ford Championship, 24 Hours of Daytona, Fia GT Championship, Formula Renault and Champ Car Toyota Atlantic Series. But he found himself stuck in neutral when the 2008 recession hit.  “I had made it to such a high level in the sport that it required millions of dollars just to continue,” Tim said. “When I was coming up through ..read more

Meet Christine Mitchell – also known as The Car Lady. She will be a regular contributor to The Car Magazine with her insights about understanding and operating features of newly purchased automobiles and the importance of regularly servicing them. She considers a car purchase the second-largest investment a person will make next to buying a home. Christine, who resides in Port Elgin, Ontario, and her staff work with dealerships throughout Canada to help their customers learn more about their new car purchases. She said when people buy cars they are attracted to the purchase, but they may ..read more

Harry Kohli, the Fixed Operations Manager at Marino’s Fine Cars, had been trying for some time to book Christine Mitchell to do a presentation at the company’s Subaru store in Etobicoke, Ontario. Well, the wait was worth it. On June 24, Christine spoke to an interested audience of customers who had bought cars from the store. She spoke first about everything to do about car features and safety, and then transitioned to service and car maintenance.  Some of the topics that really resonated with the crowd were the safekeeping of keys and what different car colours mean in terms of whic ..read more

There are many factors to consider when deciding between financing and leasing a car, which is why it’s important to break down the key differences. Let’s start with the monthly payment. Leases typically have lower monthly payments than loans because you only pay for the part of the vehicle you use during the lease term. This is why there’s a residual value (the car’s value at the end of the lease). On the other hand, loan payments are higher because you’re paying off the entire value of the car over the loan term. So, if you compare a lease and a loan with the same term – no down payment an ..read more

When considering a compact SUV, it’s essential to compare offerings from both domestic and international car manufacturers. This helps make a well-informed choice, striking the right balance between performance, space, efficiency and value. Today, we compare the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox, 2023 Ford Escape, 2023 Toyota RAV4 and the 2024 Honda CR-V. Performance and Efficiency 2024 Chevrolet Equinox: Engine: Turbocharged Gas I4, producing 175 hp @ 5800 RPM and 203 lb-ft torque between 2000-4000 RPM. Fuel Efficiency: EnerGuide Estimate for the highway is 7.9 L/100 km. Emissions: 207 G/km of CO2. Tr ..read more

Regarding compact SUVs, it’s often difficult to find that sweet spot between utility and style, fuel economy and performance. Yet, the 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan seems to have found a comfortable niche in the market. As the SUV market in Canada continues to grow, consumers are spoiled for choice. But where does the Tiguan fit in? Overview The Tiguan rests under VW’s larger Atlas model, boasting European elegance, agile handling, and a thoughtful design. While it may not be a speed demon, the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, eight-speed automatic transmission and 4Motion All Wheel Driv ..read more

The wave of electric vehicles (EVs) is steadily cresting, promising more sustainable transportation. While many are quickly hopping on this eco-friendly bandwagon, some of us tread a bit more cautiously with emerging technologies. The battery, often dubbed the heart of an EV, is a focal point of curiosity and sometimes concern. Let’s dive deeper into the intricacies of EV batteries to ensure we’re genuinely harnessing their potential. One term frequently mentioned in EV circles is Depth of Discharge (DOD). DOD measures how much of a battery’s stored energy has been used. For example, if your ..read more